Enchanted
by petals-to-fish
Summary: Lily Evans is unsure of James Potter's tall tales when they run into each other one rainy night. He claims to be looking for his wife and son, both cursed to Lily's world by a wicked witch from his magical world. Lily's own son Harry is enchanted immediately by James' stories and she finds herself thrust into a mysterious adventure that might lead to her own happy ending.
1. Part of your World

_1._

 _What would I pay to stay here beside you?_

 _What would I do to keep you smiling at me?_

 _Wish I could be part of your world._

Lily Evans' fairytale started the day that she met James Potter.

Like any famous tale, they met as kids and they grew up side by side in a magical school where wizards cased spells, unicorns roamed the forest, and the mountainside teamed with giants. When Lily had left the non-magical world at eleven to become a witch, James became her family, along with some of the other kids they grew up with in school. James was different from everyone else though, James knew everything about her.

He knew her disapproving family that rejected her when she chose magic over them.

He knew about her fear of the dark and the shadows that creep there, reaching for her.

He knew of her love for peppermint sticks and autumn leaves falling off trees.

Lily didn't love James at first; in fact she tried to tell herself for the longest time that she _wasn't_ in love with him. Of course, she could only lie to herself for so long. One sunny autumn evening, James fell off his broomstick, landing fifty feet below as Lily watched, petrified that she might've lost her best friend.

 _"I can't stop falling for you."_ He had laughed weakly to her when she cried over him in the Hospital Wing.

After that, they both took turns falling head-over-heals in love for each other.

She loved him more than anything in the world, even when he argued with her or called her a stubborn fool. She loved the way his thumb traced her lips as she stared at each other. She loved the way his hazel eyes stared fiercely into her green eyes in silence. She loved how he always wore the same quidditch jersey on their dates because it was his 'lucky' jersey. She could never stop loving him, even when their magical world told her too.

"Mrs. Potter is hereby exiled from the wizarding community."

Just like in every love story there was a witch, casting a curse over the land. In this story, the witch was Dolores Umbridge, the Minister of Magic. When Umbridge took over the Ministry last fall, they'd expected changes of course. There had been lots of rumors that she wasn't friendly towards Lily's muggle heritage. Everyone said that Umbridge worked for the sacred twenty-eight and was determined to rid her new world order of muggleborns and half bloods.

 _It wasn't supposed this be like this,_ Lily mused to herself in sorrow as she stared at Umbridge from where she was bound to a chair, receiving the sentence from the wizarding court.

Lily married James when she was nineteen years old in an old muggle church because he was more than her best friend; he was the love of her life. She currently held the product of their love in her arms, Harry, about to be orphaned at thirteen months of age. Lily's emotions were racing through her, as she wondered why they hadn't run when given the chance at nineteen. Their old friend Sirius had found a loophole in the system, he'd managed to get some muggleborns like Lily smuggled back into the nonmagical world with their magic still intact. Lily could've gone, left with James at her side, memories intact.

Instead they'd trusted their friend Peter Pettigrew with keeping her where-abouts a secret. They should've never trusted Peter. Lily let her eyes glare up at the podium where the stout wizard stood holding a pensieve meant for her memories. He'd been their friend. He'd come by for Christmas, held harry the day he was born, kissed Lily's cheek goodbye after card night.

"The child, a product of the unlawful marriage between James Fleamont Potter and Lily Marie Evans, is also banned from this world."

All around Lily, there were faces of those who wished to see Lily and James ripped apart. The cruelest face of all, Umbridge, stared at them with narrowed eyes. They say she had risen to power easily, talking her way through the politics, using dark magic on any who disagreed with her. She was barely human, with a frog-like smile and eyes that were black as coal. She'd had her Ministry Inquisitors round up witches like Lily and bring them to the Ministry for a hearing.

"Mrs. Potter's memories will be taken from her and she will become the muggle she was born to be, Lily Evans."

James had gotten word last minute that Lily was dragged from their small cottage in Godric's Hollow to the Ministry, their baby boy in her arms. He burst into the room just as Umbridge had made her verdict. He pushed past two aurors and came to sit in front of her, pressing his forehead against hers as the aurors tried to rip him away from her.

"You can't _do_ this!" James cried, "She's my wife!"

"James, please..." she begged him, "Don't get yourself thrown in Azkaban."

"I won't let them take you from me…" his fingers brushed against her cheek lovingly.

"I don't want you to die because of me."

Their fingers were slowly slipping away from each other, the magic already tearing them apart. Lily felt as if the curse was inside of her, her eyes watched as little wisps of silver traveled towards Peter Pettigrew, whose blue eyes could look anywhere but at her.

Lily's happily ever after was coming to an end and it terrified her.

Umbridge's voice rang through the courtroom at the same time that a sob erupted from her chest, "Your wand is officially property of the Ministry."

She remembered the day she'd gotten her wand at Ollivanders. She'd been so excited to learn that she was a witch. She'd been so thrilled to find a world where she fit in with her peculiarities. Another silver wisp traveled in front of her eyes and her world was changing faster than her heart was beating.

"You will have no recollection that this world ever existed."

"This is unlawful!" James bellowed, "She belongs in this world as much as you or I!"

She could see James and the rest of the court vanishing before her very eyes. It was like a giant black cloud was swallowing Lily, with no light in sight. She knew that her time with James was being ripped from her…she knew he'd never give up trying to find her and, even worse, she'd never remember him.

"Drag Potter to a questioning room!" Umbridge ordered loudly as another sob tore through Lily's throat.

"No matter what happens, I will see you again." He whispered to her furiously, leaning down to kiss Harry's forehead.

"What if I don't remember you?"

"I won't rest until you do."

James, unfortunately, had no power to control what the story had in store for Lily and their baby. Lily took a deep breath, clutching Harry to her body, trying to make sure they didn't take him as well. She didn't trust anyone in the room. No one who was decent hearted could watch her family be split apart and not be mad about it. Not when they were so young and so in love.

She felt James' fingers slip away from hers and she clasped her entire body around their son, her only bit of James left, "I won't let them take you Harry."

"I promise I'll bring you back!" James screamed to Lily as he was dragged away, "I love you both!"

She felt like she was falling. She blacked out, her grip on her son unwavering even in a forced sleep.

Harry's insistent screams against her chest woke her up again and suddenly she stopped falling.

She was standing in front of a grayish old flat. Cars rushed past the busy street and Lily recalled why she'd been crying. Her family had kicked her out again and had nowhere to go with a baby to take care of. There was no one looking out for her, no fairy godmother to appear and whisk her away to a fairytale ball where a handsome gentleman would sweep her off her feet.

Lily had to take on the world alone without magic but that was all right with her because magic seemed so irrational to a woman who'd lost everything.

* * *

So this is an Disney's _Enchanted_ AU except Lily and James are both still magical because you all know I have a problem with just copy and pasting James and Lily into the movie script.

Let me know what you think about this sad start! As always, I'm here or on tumblr!

xxx

Petals


	2. I Thought I Lost You

_2._

 _I told myself I wouldn't sleep_  
 _'Til I searched the world from sea to sea_  
 _I made a wish upon a star,_ _I turned around and there you were._

James Potter had grown up as a pampered son of Euphamia and Fleamont Potter. They'd given him everything he ever wanted and treated him as if he was a Prince. James didn't imagine he needed anything else until the day that he met Lily Evans. Like right out of his favorite fairytale, it was love at first sight when she walked into his line of sight at school. James looked right into her green eyes and he was helpless, unable to do anything but imagine an entire lifetime of seeing her eyes sparkling emerald.

James was being kept from finding his wife by force of the Auror guard the moment he was dragged from the courtroom and started a duel trying to get back to Lily and Harry. He was locked up for almost a whole year, deemed a public menace by the Aurors. He wasn't the only one though. Plenty of wives, husbands, sons, and daughters were locked up in temporary holding cells below the Ministry of Magic during the muggleborn round ups.

It'd been years since Dolores Umbridge took James' Happy Ending away from him. No matter how much time passed, James could never forget the look on Lily Potter's face as she was ripped from him in the courtrooms of the Ministry of Magic. He could still hear Harry's crying as his mother's memories of the Wizarding World slipped away. He could remember feeling helpless as his wand was ripped from him and he was placed under arrest for fighting the law. James spent the time thinking about the day that he's reunite with his family.

Time passed like it always did without Lily, slowly and painfully.

He shared a cell with a few other wizards who had fought to keep their wives hidden from the muggleborn round up. Slowly and silently they would disappear until James was the only one left in his cell. He considered himself lucky, Umbridge apparently had forgotten about him, more focused on running her dictatorship.

James was put to work in his free time, categorizing wands confiscated from witches and wizards all over the UK. If he tried to fight, food was taken away from him. If he talked back, he was hit by hexes from some of the meanest guards. The only thing that kept James going was the knowledge that somewhere out in the muggle world, Lily was waiting for him to come wake her up.

Even now, buried under a very thin blanket in his cell, James imagined her pretty red hair curling around her painted lips as she smiled. He imagined the look on her face when he'd see her again. He imagined kissing her every day and never letting her or Harry out of his sight ever again. James was willing to wait years if he had to, if only it meant he could see his family again.

Suddenly, James watched as the door to his cell opened, revealing a woman with bright brown eyes and brown hair. She wore black robes that were tied at the waist with a blue belt. It had been twenty-four hours since he'd last seen anyone and he'd been starting to wonder if they were finally going to just let him starve to death. James was used to seeing one the aurors give him meals and take him for guarded walks around the cellblock like some fucking dog but this woman was new. The sight startled him enough that he stayed in his chair, refusing to move. He made his breathing even and examined her round face.

She looked kind, but he no longer trusted anyone that he didn't know.

"Who're you?"

"My name is Marlene McKinnon." Marlene's short hair ticked her shoulders and she took in his surroundings with distaste, "I'm an Auror."

"Here to finally finish me off then?" James asked glumly.

"I'm an Auror under Albus Dumbledore." she specified.

" _The_ Albus Dumbledore?" James sat up in surprise.

Dumbledore was a wizard well known in his defeat of dark wizards. He'd locked up Gellart Gridlewald, laid waste to a wizard named Tom Riddle, and James always hoped he'd return from his seclusion in the Scottish hills to rid the wizarding world of Dolores Umbridge. James had only heard tales of the wizard, who was as famous as Merlin himself. The woman nodded curtly to express that she was talking about the Dumbledore.

"I work for Dumbledore," McKinnon explained, "And I'm here to get you out of this damn place."

"Why?" James furrowed his brow, not knowing why anyone as famous as Dumbledore could ever care about James, a wizard he'd never met.

"Things have changed since you were brought into custody of the Auror Department." Marlene smiled fortunately, "I'm thankful to say that Dolores Umbridge no longer has control of the Ministry of Magic."

James jumped up from his chair, not believing what he was hearing, "She's not Minister of Magic?"

"Oh no, Dumbledore walked into a court session and convinced all members to vote her from the position."

"She wasn't reelected?" James breathed in relief; "She's not Minister anymore?"

Marlene said with fair warning, "But she's started operating from underground with the sacred twenty eight."

James couldn't wait, not until he'd found Lily and Harry. He tried to race past Marlene and out the cell door but she grabbed his arm.

"Woah, where are you going?" she said worriedly, "You've been in here a long time and I need your help."

"Why do you need my help?" James asked.

"Because you're the only one who's been here long enough to give me information I need."

"How long?" James asked, not actually knowing how long he'd been locked away.

Marlene tucked her short hair behind her hair, "Your file says you've been in here for almost six years."

James looked at Marlene carefully, "My wife—my wife has been alone for six years?"

Marlene frowned, "Your wife? Is she here?"

"No," James said, "She was memory wiped and sent back to the muggle world."

Marlene's eyes shifted, "Your wife was a muggle born?"

"Yes," James said worriedly, "Are the barriers down? Can we get her back?"

Marlene awkwardly couldn't look James in the eye, "You _can_ get into the muggle world…" she pulled James back when he tried to continue forward, "But James, your wife won't have a wand or identification to get back into our world right now."

James tried pushing past Marlene desperately, "Please, I just want to find her and my son, Harry."

"That'll be hard without _your_ wand." Marlene said skeptically, "And I don't know where your wand or your wife's wand is. We're still trying to find where Umbridge had all the confiscated wands placed or if she even kept them. That's where you come in."

James nodded eagerly to help, "I know exactly where they're filed. I've been filing them for years for the department."

"Perfect." Marlene nodded, "We get those wands, Potter, and we can start reuniting them with their owners."

"How long will it take?"

James hated killing any time, knowing Lily was out there someplace alone with Harry.

"Umbridge sent over two hundred muggleborns back to the muggle world." Marlene explained desolately, "It's going to take _years_ to locate all the families and reunite them."

James doesn't want to wait years but it takes the wizarding world almost three years to right itself from the devastation that followed from Umbridge's reign as Minister of Magic. James helped in any way that he could, determined to help locate the missing wands and missing families. He was enlisted to help recover muggle borns alongside his best friends almost immediately after getting out of Auror custody.

Marlene called them The Muggleborn Recovery Team. Marlene led the team with James, Sirius Black, and Remus Lupin following her leads to broken families in the UK. They were all working for Dumbledore, helping the Ministry Aurors reunite families separated by Umbridge. James had thought it'd be easy. He found the wands stowed away in containers below the Ministry of Magic in a matter of hours. James planned to match each wand up to a name in Umbridge's files and then the team would track down the owners hidden in the muggle world.

Of course, James learned very quickly just how hard it was going to be to reunite the families. Even with their wands back in their hands, the muggleborns had one last curse placed on them by Dolores. The first muggleborn wizard James found didn't remember anything about being a wizard. The old man threw James and Remus from his office building, calling them complete loons for trying to convince him he was a wizard. The wizarding community felt a loss when the Muggleborn Recovery Team returned to the Ministry unable to reunite split families.

Underground, Umbridge was victorious, the muggleborns she hated still couldn't return home.

It was James who eventually figured out the problem. He remembered being in the courtroom when Lily's sentence was finished. He remembered seeing peter Pettigrew with a pensive in hand, collecting silver strung memories from Lily as James was dragged into questioning. It didn't take Merlin to figure out what Umbridge had done to the muggle borns. She had collected the memories of her victims in pensieves and replaced the recollections of the wizarding world with fake memory charms, meant to curse the muggleborns to a life without magic.

Once James figured out what was wrong, Marlene and the rest of the team spent months tracking down the used pensieves. Once Umbridge realized what the Muggleborn Recovery Team had figured out, and found out James was leading the recovery process, her revenge was to take the one pensive James wanted the most: the one with Lily Potter's memories. She sent Peter Pettigrew himself, to grab the pensive seconds before James and Sirius got to it. Peter got away but James was pretty sure he took off Peter's hand trying to get the pensieve back.

As more time passed, James threw himself into recovering more and more muggelborns. He was determined to make the world right again and he hoped in the process, he'd find his wife and son again.

Hope, it turned out, was the most powerful magic of all.

One day, while following a lead to a displaced family in London, James was passing a small row of flats. The mailbox to one had a name he hadn't seen since his school days: _Evans_. He walked up to the door and knocked, his heart beating faster than it ever had before.

Suddenly a familiar voice behind him asked awkwardly, "Can we help you?"

James turned too quickly slipped on the steps, slick form the misting rain. The woman dropped the hand of the messy-haired little boy at her side to immediately steady James. He looked up and is immediately struck by her beauty and the green in her eyes. James hadn't seen those eyes in over seven years. He couldn't believe it. He couldn't look away.

 _Lily._

* * *

 **Tomorrow's Update Preview:**

"You need me to call somebody for you?" Lily held on tightly to Harry's fingers.

The man raised a speculative eyebrow, "Well, I don't think they'd hear you from here."

"What?"

"Calling them." The man seemed amused, "It wouldn't work, I have a feeling I'm not anywhere near Godric's Hollow."

"Where's that?" Harry piped up, staring up at the tall man with wide eyes.

"Harry, don't talk to strangers." Lily hissed.

"You are." Harry crossed his arms and stared at the ground defiantly.

The man laughed at Harry's cheek and Lily soured even more.

* * *

 **WOW! thank you so much to everyone who has said they were excited for this story. I'll be trying to update once or twice a week. As per usual with my multi-chapters...the story is already written, it's just up to me to edit and review plot points before posting.**

 **xxx**

 **Petals**


	3. Once Upon A Dream

_3._

 _I know you; I walked with you once upon a dream_

 _I know you, that gleam in your eyes is so familiar a gleam_

 _And I know it's true that visions are seldom all they seem_

 _But if I know you, I know what you'll do_

 _You'll love me at once, the way you did once upon a dream_

"I'm not letting you have him!"

Lily sighed glumly and leaned her coffee cup back into her mouth so the final bits of her pumpkin spice latte could run down her throat. The windows to her right were no longer bright; instead the sun was sinking behind the clouds. Down below the windows, the busy London streets were bustling with people headed home. Lily wished she were on her way home, knowing she had a long day ahead of her tomorrow.

When Lily put her empty coffee mug down, the woman next to her was still shouting at the balding man directly across from them. The woman shouting shrilly across the table in the office was a client of Lily's office. She was an older woman with always-braided hair. Her voice cut through Lily's ears and reminded Lily of her older sister Petunia. Barb claimed that her husband Tom had left her after two years of marriage and was out for revenge by taking all their shared property from him.

She thought of Harry's father bitterly and felt herself give a small sigh. Beside her, Lily's boss Eric sent her a short look. Eric was the lead lawyer at _Buskins &Berry_ and wherever he was, Lily wasn't far behind. Lily met Eric three years before when she was working part time in a flower shop. Eric was a smooth talker and everyone adored him for his bright blue eyes and blond hair. When he'd pass by the shop everyday he'd send her a smile, then two months after that he asked for her name, and it didn't take long before he asked her out to dinner.

Lily, who wasn't looking for any sort of relationship, declined his initial offer and Eric came back to the shop with lunch instead. Lily liked him for the most part and owed him a lot. He offered her a better paying job at his law firm when he found out about Harry. Now Lily was able to afford to send Harry to school and buy him new clothes.

The only thing Lily didn't like about Eric was that Eric was always quick to try and make their relationship something more than friendship. Lily kept his advances at bay, not eager to date anyone. It was hard for her to imagine loving anyone, not after going so long without any friends or family to help catch her when she fell.

Another shrill yell woke Lily form her daydreams, "Forget it Barb! Jimmy is coming with me!"

Eric intervened as the couple shouted, "Wait a minute, I'm getting confused." The couple turned to face Eric, both red in the face, "Who is Jimmy? A dog?"

"Jimmy Johnstone." Barb told Eric, as if Eric was supposed to know who that was.

Lily blinked awkwardly, sharing a confused look with the other lawyer named Anita. Anita had told Lily just yesterday that this particular case was driving her insane because the couple (Barb mostly) could not be consoled. Lily, as Eric's assistant, was taking notes but she'd long since stopped as she was unable to pay attention any longer.

"Lisbon Lions?" with continued silence the husband, Tom, said, "His 1957 rookie card."

"A football card?" Lily asked weakly, " _That's_ what this gets down to? A football card?"

Lily could practically feel herself slipping off her chair. The clock on the farthest wall told Lily that three hours of negotiations had passed with no forward movement. The couple neither found Lily's tone offensive or humorous. They were too busy glaring at each other to realize their lawyers literally wanted to murder them and the 1957 rookie card that had kept them in the office past hours. Lily rubbed her temples and prayed for perseverance through the rest of the case.

"You never loved Jimmy like me." Barb said piercingly to Tom.

"You never loved me like Jimmy!" Tom said scathingly.

At this point, Lily was ready to throw in a towel and Eric looked like he felt the same. The couple was inconsolable and hard to work with. Whatever Barb wanted, Tom wanted. They were both openly trying to hurt each other by actions and words. It flashed Lily back to when she would fight with her sister and the reminder wasn't so pleasant.

All of a sudden the door to the meeting room opened and a woman with light blonde hair and a clipboard piled with papers walked in. She wore a yellow pantsuit that lit up the room as she walked over to Lily. Lily was so grateful to see the other office secretary Melina that she dropped the pen in her hand immediately. The pen made its way over to Barb, who didn't notice it as it rolled by.

"Lily," Melina put a hand on Lily's shoulder and whispered into her ear.

Eric turned a little in his seat to watch the exchange.

Lily smiled at Melina enthusiastically, "Yes?"

Melina pointed at the watch on her wrist, "Harry's school called, you need to go pick him up."

Lily knew the call was bound to come. The school probably thought she was the worst mum on earth, always picking Harry up late. Beside Lily, Barb was still verbally abusing her husband. Eric motioned a little with his hands, telling Lily to go while she still could.

"What did I do to make you hate me?"

"Ask what you _didn't_ do."

"It's a long list!"

Lily was thankful she wasn't foolish enough to ever fall in love. She had a seven-year-old reason why she'd never love anyone. Harry was a mistake that she didn't regret, because she loved Harry more than anything, but Harry was proof that love wasn't realistic. True love wasn't real—it was something in a fairytale meant for kids. Lily had accepted that a long time ago. Marriage was nothing but disappointment and divorce waiting to happen.

Lily stood up, the movement drawing the attention of the debating duo. Barb pushed her hair out of her eyes to stare at Lily, wheezing as if she'd run up and down the office staircases. Lily put on a fake smile for her boss' client as she collected her papers and notes.

"I have to pick up my son from school." Lily said kindly, "Sorry to interrupt."

"It's fine Lily," Eric smiled, "I'll see you tomorrow morning."

"Great." Lily grabbed her bag and turned to the woman, "Barb, I'll see you in the morning, OK?"

Barb was unable to answer because she had gone back to insulting her husband, "You're just afraid I don't need you!"

"I need a vacation!" the man half laughed as Lily escaped the room, just barely.

When melina closed the door behind them they both laughed thankfully.

"God, they're the worst." Melina passed Lily her purse and jacket, "Do you regret telling Eric you wanted to help?"

"Every waking second." Lily said honestly, "But I was hoping to learn a bit more about divorce laws."

The hallway was dark and Lily's heels echoed against the tiles as she followed Melina to the elevator. The elevator ran along a long pane of glass, allowing riders to glimpse the London skyline. The tall glass windows were streaked with droplets and Lily furrowed her brow when she saw it was still slightly raining. She was craving a vacation to someplace warm, where the sun shone everyday.

Lily knew that probably wasn't possible. She'd just started gaining a place in the firm and she didn't have enough vacation time to take her and Harry away from dreary London. It had taken Lily a lot of time and effort to get to the top of the busy London streets and she wasn't going to make her Eric regret hiring her as his assistant.

"That went _awful_." Lily complained to Melina, hitting her hip against the elevator handles.

"You know you agreed to come in tomorrow right?" Melina asked.

"Yeah." Lily said, arching an eyebrow at Melina, "Why?"

Melina clicked her pen in her hand; "I thought you said you wanted the day off to take Harry to the zoo?"

Lily leaned against one of the walls, shrugging as she thought of her son, Harry. He would be disappointed Lily was going to have to cancel the trip to the zoo but she really wanted to help on the case (no matter how insufferable Barb was) and the only way to do that was to set her trip with Harry to the zoo aside.

"It's fine," Lily, said unevenly, "I told him that we _might_ go to the zoo, not that we _would_ go to the zoo."

They reach the main level just as a loud clap of thunder shook the building. The elevator doors opened and Lily walked up, pulling on her jacket as she went.

"Harry told me at dinner two nights ago that he was super excited for the zoo trip."

Melina, it seemed, wasn't done talking about Harry. Lily supposed Melina was the closest thing she had to a best friend and that Melina was just looking out but it annoyed her that Melina had an opinion about everything Lily decided to do.

"I'll take him to the zoo another day," Lily said as she reached the main doors, "Eric mentioned he wanted to go, maybe now he can."

"Eric?" Melina seemed surprised Lily even suggesting it; "We both know Harry doesn't like Eric."

"Eric has helped us so much," Lily sighed, "I don't understand why Harry is convinced he's the worst thing ever to happen to us."

"Probably because he's so convinced his father is going to come back for the both of you."

Lily huffed, "Well that's a foolish thing for him to believe."

Melina pursed her lips as Lily got into her cab and asked the driver to drive her to the nearest superstore. It took her time to get a quick gift for her son to apologize for being late in picking him up from school and (subsequently) not being able to take him to the zoo in the morning.

Lily's umbrella soaked her lap as she leaned over and into her bag to grab the present she'd gotten in the store for Harry. Seven years had passed since Lily had even seen the man she'd had a one-night stand with and she couldn't imagine what he looked like, sounded like, or smelled like.

Lily wished she could remember even a bit of Harry's father, just so she could find the idiot who left sweet Harry fatherless and punch him in the face...

The taxi pulled up to Harry's school thirty-eight minutes after Lily was supposed to sign him out. Lily raced inside, thankful that the drizzle had stopped enough so that she could thank the teacher for staying later before ushering her young son back into another taxi cab. Harry was dressed in his cute school uniform, his spare karate robes stuffed into a bag at his feet. Lily brushed back Harry's messy black hair and kissed his forehead as the taxi pulled away from the curb.

"How was school?" Lily asked him happily.

"Good." Harry's feet kicked out, "Mrs. Perciveral says I should try out for football."

"Oh?" Lily said, brushing her fingers through his hair adoringly, "Why football?"

"She says I have too much energy." Harry complained, "Today at lunch she said I was bouncing off the walls crazy."

"Well," Lily hummed, "Maybe in the future we can put you on a team."

"Are we still going to the zoo tomorrow?" Harry asked, his legs still kicking.

"Eric asked me to go into work tomorrow morning—"

"Not Eric," Harry sighed dramatically, sinking in his seat.

"Harry," Lily sighed, "He's helped us out very much. Without him we wouldn't be able to afford to go to the zoo."

"I know, I know." Harry grumbled, not quite looking at his mum.

"I have something for you." Lily told him joyfully, smiling the moment his green eyes lit up at the thought of a present.

Lily pulled the gift from her own bag and plopped it into Harry's lap. Harry ripped off the bottle green paper excitedly, only to pause when he saw the cover.

Harry stared at the gift in his lap, "A book?"

"Oh, come on. Don't give me that look." Lily said, kissing her son's head eagerly, "I know it's not a trip to the zoo, but this is _better_."

Harry looked unconvinced and his little nose wrinkled. Lily showed Harry why she'd picked out the book from the store.

"Look at this. See? Rosa Parks. The Beatles. Charles Darwin! He dedicated his life to wildlife research until he died from…a beetle bite."

"He... died?" Harry asked flatly, still looking quite glum.

Lily's phone started ringing before she could change the subject to make her son happy.

Harry closed the book, "I wonder who that is."

"Yeah, hi." Lily pushed a strand of hair back into her slick ponytail; "I'm with him now. Tomorrow morning would be great. 7:30? All right. Bye-bye."

Harry was playing with the corners of his new book. The paper that it had been wrapped it was on the floor of the taxi. The entire scene was too depressing for Lily to handle. Harry always wanted to be immersed in magical worlds and fairytales. He'd wanted to go to the zoo since three weeks before when the zoo announced they got a magical new creature mixed between a zebra and a giraffe. He drew pictures on his little desk at home of the creature, imagining what it'd look like. It took all Lily had to try and keep Harry in reality.

"It was Eric." Lily told Harry tenderly.

"Yup." Harry's fingers traced the cover of his new book.

Lily tucked her fingers under Harry's chin, forcing his green eyes to look into her green eyes, "He's a lot like the people in your book."

Harry looked like he'd rather disagree with her but knew not too. Lily wished she could get through to her quiet boy, her perfect boy, who didn't deserve the hole in his heart that his father had left.

"Maybe if Eric and I get off early," Lily said awkwardly, "We can go to the zoo later."

"Why can't you work _after_ the zoo?"

"Because honey," Lily sighed, "Eric has a very important case—"

Harry fingered the edge of the book until he was forced to put it in his bag because the taxi had parked in front of their next stop, the condos where Lily had purchased them a sweet little two bedroom flat. They exited their cab, still arguing.

"But Eric's so boring." Harry complained.

"Harry I'm getting really tired of—"

There was a man standing in front of her doorway, perplexed. He was pressing the buttons to buzz in but none of them were working. He started knocking on the door and that's when Lily intervened.

"Can we help you?"

He turned too fast and slipped on the stairs, slick from the rain. Lily dropped Harry's hand in time to catch the man before he fell onto them. Her hand griped his arm as his eyes shot to hers. He steadied himself and Lily dropped her hand back down to Harry's shoulder. His eyes left her face to fall on Harry and Lily was startled to see they sported the exact same jet-black hair.

She'd never seen him before, she was sure she'd remember his eyes, warm and hazel. The man looked to be around Lily's age, a boyish charm tinted on his red cheeks. He grinned at Lily and Harry broadly. When her eyes dropped to his clothes she blinked rapidly with interest. He wore black robes that were colored with flecks of purple.

"Hello!" he was like an overexcited puppy, his eyes fluttering back and forth between Lily and Harry.

Lily repeated slowly, "Can we help you?"

Lily tilted her head at the man. He wasn't entirely unattractive but she was surprised she was even checking him out. He was a little on the skinny side but had a toothy smile she could appreciate. He wore thick glasses and his eyes were wide, as if he was constantly surprised. One of his hands went up and his ran his fingers through his hair as they stared at each other.

The man said something to her and she had to blink herself out of her reverie, "Pardon?"

The man took another step towards her and Harry, "Your name?"

"Her name is Lily." Harry spoke up, chipper, from her side, "And I'm Harry. Who're you?"

The man's eyes fell to Harry at her side. Lily tucked Harry in closer to her grasp, not knowing what to do around this man who had caught her so off guard. He acted as if he had come from another world. His hazel eyes took in their surroundings widely, as if taking it all in for the first time.

"Do you need me to call somebody for you?" Lily held on tightly to Harry's fingers.

The man raised a speculative eyebrow, "Well, I don't think they'd hear you from here."

"What?"

"Calling them." The man seemed amused, "It wouldn't work, I have a feeling I'm not anywhere near Godric's Hollow."

"Where's that?" Harry piped up, staring up at the tall man with wide eyes.

"Harry, don't talk to strangers." Lily hissed.

"You are." Harry crossed his arms and stared at the ground defiantly.

The man laughed at Harry's cheek and Lily soured even more.

"What a great name, Harry." The man said eagerly and Harry beamed, "That's my great grandfather's name." his eyes never left Lily's face, "I'm James Potter by the way."

Harry stood on his tiptoes to get a better look at the strange man, "I like your robe, are you going to a costume party?"

"Where I'm from everyone wears robes like this." James boasted, his fingers sliding along his weird clothing.

"Where are you from?" Lily asked James.

"Godric's Hollow." The man spoke in riddles Lily couldn't decipher, "I'm looking for my family, you see, and I…" he paused as if not sure how to finish his sentence, "Fell into your laps."

"Is that a big habit of yours?" Lily muttered, "Falling?"

The boy sent Lily a smirk, "Well, _usually_ someone catches me when I fall."

Lily eyed his clothes with peculiar eyes, "What is with this _outfit_ of yours?"

James glanced down, "Do you hate it?"

"No, it's just..."

"My wife got this set for me for my nineteenth birthday."

"You said you're looking for your wife?"

"Yeah," he seemed happy that she remembered, "I didn't mean to startle you Miss…"

"Evans." She didn't know why she let this man keeping talking to her on their stoop.

"Evans."

He said her name like it was prayer and looked at her like he was in love. Lily swallowed when she noticed his eyes tracing her form as if he was seeing it for the very first time. It should've made her uncomfortable but her eyes were tracing him with interest and she didn't know why she felt like she'd met this man before.

"Why don't we see about getting you a car?" Lily said kindly, "I can get one for you?"

"A broom would be more hospitable."

"A broom?"

"You know, a flying broom?"

"Wow." Harry's eyes lit up at Lily's side, "A broomstick? Like witches have?"

"Wizards fly 'em too!" James' told Harry eagerly, "We play quidditch!"

Lily faintly sighed and wondered if she'd picked up an asylum runaway.

Harry tugged on Lily's coat, "Couldn't he stay for dinner momma?"

"No." she said firmly, "That's a _big_ no."

Harry turned to their strange guest, "Are you a wizard?"

"Graduated top of my class at Hogwarts!" James declared, kneeling down so he was face to face with Harry.

Lily pushed Harry towards the door; "There's no such thing as wizards Harry."

"Sure there is!" James scoffed up to her in a way that reminded her of a defiant Harry, "We're just supposed to hide from muggles is all."

"What's a muggle?" Harry asked.

"A person without magic."

"There's no such thing as magic, Harry." Lily pulled her son away from the crazy man, "And I'd appreciate if you'd stop filling his head with delusions Mr. Potter."

"I hope you don't mind my intrusion," James replied back smoothly, "I'm not sharing delusions though. I am a wizard and you're a witch."

"Why do you think this?" Lily frowned deeply.

"Because." James smiled, "You're my wife and he's my son."

Lily blinked heatedly, "You're off your bloody _rocker_ if you think _we're_ married."

"You're off _your_ rocker if you try to say that you aren't at least the _slightest_ bit attracted to me right now." James argued back arrogantly.

Lily wildly shook her head, "Get out of here," she warned him, "Or I swear, I will call the police."

He shrugged, stepping off their stoop, "I'll prove it to you and I'll get your memories back."

Lily snorted, "Yeah, okay." She pushed Harry into the flat, "Stay away from us, crazy."

"Mum," Harry complained when she closed and locked the door in James' face, "He looks just like me!"

"You both have black hair." Lily rolled her eyes, pushing Harry farther into their flat, lying as she said, "Other than that you look nothing like him."

"He was wearing robes!" Harry said, "I think he might be telling the truth!"

"He's a seriously confused man, Harry, not a wizard."

Harry dropped his bag on the floor as they made their way into the kitchen, "But mum!"

"Go get in your pajamas," Lily told her son, before pressing her nails to the bridge of her nose, "Please."

Harry grumbled but did as he was told. Lily leaned against he counter in her kitchen, her headache increasing every passing second. Before she went to bed that night she glanced out the window to her house. The man, James, was no longer standing by her door and she wondered vaguely if she'd imagined the entire interaction.

She couldn't believe James thought she and Harry were his lost wife and kid.

She couldn't imagine what James had been through to make him believe such a maddening story.

On top of that, Lily knew that she would've remembered James if he were Harry's father, because he was unlike anyone else she'd ever met: mad as anything and utterly captivating.

* * *

 **Next Week:**

"You told Lily, a woman cursed with fake memories, that she was your wife?" Marlene asked flatly.

"Well yeah." James said, as if he couldn't imagine doing anything else.

"You have to give James a break," Sirius said from his chair, "he didn't ever think clearly around Lily."


	4. Just The Beginning

_3._

 _This is me praying that_  
 _This was the very first page_  
 _Not where the story line ends_  
 _My thoughts will echo your name u_ _ntil I see you again_

"I told you it was Lily."

It had been almost forty eight hours since James had seen Lily. For a moment James wondered if he imagined her green eyes, her smile, and her pointed nose. Now though, standing under the eves of an abandoned building with his mates he couldn't doubt what had happened. The woman they were staring at was the woman he'd fallen in love with a seventeen.

"I can't believe she's been so close this whole time." Sirius whispered back, "I would've thought the Aurors would've relocated them as far from you as possible."

"Especially since Umbridge had a personal vendetta against James." Marlene's surprise tone was next.

"Umbridge only had a personal vendetta after I gave away where the confiscated wands were being stored." James' voice was hard and forced as he stared hungrily at his wife, holding Harry's hand as she locked the door to their small flat.

Roses and white garland off set the brown tones in the windowless door. James had a wreath similar to it back at the cottage in Godric's Hollow, Lily made it when she first moved in. Lily kept her fingers in Harry's shirt, they were both talking to each other but their voices didn't carry over to the wizards hidden close by. Sirius leaned around James' thin frame to stare at Lily as she knelt down to straighten Harry's messy black hair. James was so busy staring at them lovingly he almost missed Remus whisper about how much Harry looked like James.

Sirius and Remus hadn't believed James when he'd come storming into the old Potter cottage exclaiming that he'd finally found Lily. It had taken several hours to convince them that he wasn't mad. It took another three hours for Marlene to appear with disbelief in her eyes. James had to drag them to the small flat where he'd run into Lily and Harry. They'd waited for three hours and finally the pair made an appearance. Harry was dressed in a school uniform and Lily had her red hair tired in a braid behind her head.

"Why is she dressed so nice?"

Sirius noticed something else that was off about the red haired witch in muggle clothes. James had always been sued to seeing Lily sporting muggle slacks and a flowered blouse or wizarding robes. Sometimes sherd mix and match. James loved her eclectic wardrobe but currently, she was dressed in a tight skirt and ruffled silk blouse. It was so very unlike the Lily that James and Sirius loved.

"Maybe she's seeing someone?" Marlene muttered.

At Sirius and James' looks of horror Remus quickly reasoned, "My mum had some outfits like that in her closet growing up and she said they were for her old muggle job."

"There's no way she's that pretty and has remained single the last seven years." Marlene stated doubtfully.

"She didn't mention any other bloke." James said, furrowing his brow at the thought of his wife sleeping in the arms of some other man.

Remus placed a hand on James' shoulder, as if knowing where James' mind had wandered, "Don't fret too much Prongs..."

"I know." James muttered as he watched Lily start dragging Harry up the street, "It's just hard-she looked at me like I was mad when I told her we were married."

Marlene cut James off flatly, "You told Lily, a woman cursed with fake memories, that she was your wife?"

"Well, yeah." James said, as if he couldn't imagine doing anything else.

"You have to give James a break," Sirius said from his lead, "he didn't ever think clearly around Lily."

Remus interrupted before Marlene could yell at James, "Lily and Harry are heading up the street, we should have someone follow them."

"I will." James volunteered instantly, walking out of his hiding spot only to be grabbed from behind by Marlene.

"Slow down there Prince Charming." Marlene snorted, "The moment she see's you she's gonna kill you!"

James scoffed, "She wouldn't." and then he paused, "Why would she kill me?"

Marlene rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, "You literally told her that she was your wife. James, that was stupid, even for you! She has fake memories! You've no idea what those Aurors put into her head!"

"What else was I supposed to do?" James asked unhappily, "Pretend I didn't know who she was? Pretend that I wasn't relieved to see Lily alive and with Harry after seven years of thinking that maybe Umbridge had killed her?"

Remus caught the tortured tone in James; voice and put a hand on James shoulder, turning James to face him kindly, "I know this must be hard Prongs, but that woman is not your wife...your wife is trapped in a pensive being healed for ransom by Peter Pettigrew..."

"Those are just her memories." James argued, "That woman and that child are still my family."

"I know that James." Marlene moaned, "But _they_ don't. Imagine if you were Harry's age and someone told you that you were a wizard!"

"Harry's almost of Hogwarts age Marlene," Sirius said suddenly, "If James didn't find Harry, the trace would've."

Marlene scoffed, "Either way, James handled this poorly and now Lily's probably sent his sketch to every muggle patrol station from here to Scotland Yard."

"So what do we do?" Remus asked, looking tired of hearing his team fight.

They were silent, no one knowing what to say. James knew deep down that Marlene was right, his gut reaction hadn't been the best reaction. Even still, James couldn't shake the feeling that Lily needed him to go with his gut, his Lily needed spontaneity and she wasn't getting anything from the cursed life she was forced to live. Frustrated James pushed his fingers through his hair and stared down the sidewalk where Lily and Harry had disappeared.

James had promised Lily, no matter what, that he'd get her back to their world. He couldn't imagine going a second longer without her at his side-seven years a part already being long enough. Lily might not remember him but James didn't care, she was still Lily Potter. She was still the girl who used to kiss him in the quidditch stands at school. She was still stubborn and filled with an intense drive to succeed. She was still his wife and he loved her more than anything.

James' shoulders dropped as he admitted out loud, "I just miss them."

"Me too, mate." Sirius whispered knowingly, "I miss them too."

Remus suggested, "We can work the underground, try to find Peter and get Lily's memories back…"

Marlene braiding her brown hair thoughtfully, "Okay but how long do you think it'll take us to get intel on Pettigrew?"

Sirius exchanged a glance with Remus before telling Marlene, "Remus can get us underground easily, but no one is going to trust a Ministry Auror, a werewolf, or a fall-out Black."

"Well, Peter will be better about hiding this time too." Remus reasoned, "He's not going to stop and chat if he sees anyone connected to James."

"Coward." James' fists curled at the mention of the wizard that sold his wife and kid to Umbridge.

"Peter might be stealthy." Sirius said, grey eyes dark, "But Marlene and I have tracked him down before. We can do it again."

Marlene's brown eyes sparkled at the thought of another adventure underground, always looking for next bit of trouble, "Works for me." she looked at James, "How do you feel about taking Pettigrew's other hand, James?"

"I'm not leaving Lily and Harry." James warned them, "You lot can come back here and find me once you get her memories back but I won't leave them alone when I know that Umbidge would love to get her wand on them again."

"How are you going to watch over Lily when she's probably going to get you locked in muggle prison?" Marlene asked.

James straightened his shoulders, "Lily fell in love with me once and I can make her do it again."

"It took him seven years," Sirius smirked when James pinched him, "But he eventually wore her down."

"Bullocks." Marlene shook her head at James, "Stay out of trouble Potter."

"I don't trust that Peter will keep quiet when he hears that we've been looking for him." James explained, "The moment rumors get back to Umbridge that the three of you are on a mission to find Pettigrew she's going to wonder why we suddenly want those memories bad enough to go underground."

Sirius got what James was hinting at, "You don't think Umbridge would go after Lily and Harry?"

"I wouldn't put it past her." James glanced at the small flat across the street, "She cursed Lily when the only thing she'd done was be muggle born-imagine what the old bat would do to Lily now after I helped return muggleborns to the wizarding world."

Marlene's lips were thinned as she considered James' outlook before nodding decidedly, "Fine. James stays and protects Lily and Harry."

Relief settled in James' chest.

Sirius chewed his lip before clearing his throat, "Give us a week. If we're not back..."

James swallowed tickle and patted Sirius on the back affectionately, "I'll wait for you three to return."

James could tell Remus and Sirius didn't feel comfortable about leaving James. Marlene was insistent they get started on the Pettigrew search and the goodbyes were quick. James reasoned that goodbyes were better quick, like ripping off a bandaid.

He didn't want to go far from Lily's house so James spent time in a café not too far from where her flat was, formulating a plan. Even if Harry didn't know it, he was a wizard. Even if Lily refused to believe it, she was a witch. James just had to bring the magic out of them both. He didn't know what fake memories they'd both been cursed with but he was determined to find out.

He just needed a reason to enter their lives.

He needed a way to make them believe.

Almost like magic, the bell to the cafe rang and Lily entered the cafe. She was still dressed nicely but her hair was no longer in the braid, it flowed over her shoulders like a waterfall. She was on the phone, her voice carrying over to James' stool.

"Yeah, I know, thanks for letting me have lunch with him. I'll be back later to talk about-"

Harry spotted James, his bottle green eyes perking up as his mum unknowingly passed James, still chatting on her phone. Harry pulled his fingers from his mum's hand and stopped right in front of James with the widest grin James had ever seen. Harry was missing one of his bottom teeth and James' heart kept to his throat as he realized he'd missed seven years of Harry's life.

"Hullo!" Harry said, "Did you fly your broom here?"

James chuckled and leaned toward the boy, resisting the urge to ruffle harry's hair affectionately, "No, I walked here."

Harry's face fell, "Well that's not cool."

"It's not?"

Harry shook his head, "Wizards have magic, why would you _walk_ everywhere?"

"Harry come on," Lily had hung up her phone and realized Harry wasn't at her side.

Lily's eyes did not match her sons in excitement when she realized who Harry was talking too. James waved awkwardly at Lily, giving her a sheepish grin. Her skin flared red with anger as she stomped forward and pulled Harry two steps away from James protectively.

"Are you stalking us?" Lily's voice was high pitched and defensive.

James rose an eyebrow, "I was here first."

Lily blinked and then said snootily, "Still think I'm your wife?"

James since as he realized Marlene had been right, his initial reaction hadn't made him popular in Lily's book.

James cleared his throat, "Actually, allow me to apologize. I was-a little out of line last night."

Her eyebrow rose, "A little?"

"A lot?" he offered and saw her expression relax slightly, "You just-look a lot like someone I used to know."

"Right." she looked unconvinced but her green eyes were tracing his clothes with question like they'd done the first time they met.

"What's your name again?" Harry asked, peeking out from behind his mother's arm.

"James." He healed out a hand to Harry, "James Potter."

Harry bit his lip before reaching out and shaking James; hand excitedly, "I've never met a wizard before."

"He's not a wizard Harry." Lily seemed to sigh before looking at James, as if he was the reason for all her suffering, "Where do you work Mr. Potter?"

"Uh," James itched his head, pulling a lie out of nowhere, "I'm a-I mean to say-I work on the-I don't have one?"

"You don't have a job?" Lily looked less impressed by the second.

"I don't exactly need one," James said awkwardly, "My family left me large amount of gold."

"Lucky you." Lily said somewhat coldly before yanking on Harry's arm, "Let's go Harry."

"Mum can we sit with James?" Harry pleaded, digging his heels into the floor.

"No, we don't have time." Lily said, "We have to get you lunch before we have to go back to the firm. Eric is being very kind and is letting you stay with us until the meetings are over today."

Harry sighed, "he's boring." Harry complained, "Why can't I go to Ms. Kern's house again?"

"Because you dyed her cat purple." James heard the same exhausted tone she used to use with James when he pulled any pranks in school.

"The cat came out of the shower purple!" Harry complained, "I never touched it!"

"Well then how did the cat turn purple Harry?"

"Magic." Harry suggested with a sly smile in James' direction and James had to cover his laugh by taking a large swing of his drink.

Lily sighed deeply and pressed her fingers in her forehead. James smiled down at Harry, knowing the way to his wife's trust was through the boy at her side.

"I could watch him." James suggested.

"Harry we don't have time for this." Lily sighed, taking her son's hand, "Come on."

James stood up, "Wait, no, I'm serious."

Lily turned her glare on James, "What makes you think I'd let the mad man who was on my doorstep remotely close to my son?"

James shrugged and motioned at Harry, "I have plenty of experience in childcare," he lied, "If you're in need of a nanny I don't mind keeping the little bloke entertained. I wouldn't even mind if he turned my owl purple."

"You have a own?" Harry's eyes were wide, "Mum, he has owl."

"All self respecting people have owls, Harry." James told Harry before looking back at Lily and beaming his widest smile.

Lily blinked at James is disbelief. It was almost as if she was analyzing him from his toes to the hair on top of his head. James was never been looked at like he was something to not be trusted. Lily had always trusted him, even when they were kids. James tilted his head at Lily, surprised by her puzzled expression.

"What?" he asked.

"I'm trying to figure out if I've seen you on any of the child abductor pages on Facebook."

James had no idea what a Facebook was but he just grinned, knowing she'd never find him on any of the sorts. James pushed his glasses up his nose and eagerly tried to convince Lily he was the perfect person to watch their son, without saying he was Harry's father. James knew Lily would probably kill him if he said anything of the sort again.

"Let me prove it to you."

"That you're going to abduct my child?"

"No, that I just want to help you out after the other night." James said, "I'll come with you wherever you go today and watch Harry for you. You can focus on whatever it is that you need to do. I'll keep the kid entertained."

Lily kept her hand on Harry's shoulder, "Why?"

James shrugged, "Until my friends come get me, I've got plenty of time on my hands."

"Your friends?" Lily blinked rapidly, trying to understand his riddles.

James explained best that he could, "They're looking for my wife and kid."

Lily's mouth opened, and then it closed, and then it opened again, "You really are looking for your wife and kid?"

James swallowed and nodded sincerely, "And it'd be nice to be kept busy until they find them."

Lily seemed to argue with herself for a few moments before giving him a curt nod, "Alright."

James was surprised how quickly he'd worn her down, "Really?"

"Sure." Lily said softly, something changing in her demeanor, "I was given a second chance. You deserve one too. Trial nanny run this afternoon."

"Yes!" Harry pumped his fist in the air enthusiastically and ran away from his mother to tug on James' robes, "You think you can teach me magic?"

"For the last time Harry," Lily said she got in line for food, "Mr. Potter's _not_ a wizard."

James winked at Harry, who wasn't convinced by his mother's disbelief.

Harry watched from James' side as Lily bought them both grilled cheese and tomato soup to-go. It was odd to see Lily so, _unhappy_. He could see it in the way her eyes glanced down to look at Harry. It was in the way her lips were pursed as she paid for Harry's lunch. It was in her face as she handed James the lunch bag in her hands without so much of a smile in his direction.

"You can start by carrying Harry's lunch back to the firm."

"As you wish." James replied smoothly, sending Harry another wink and therefore earning a set of giggles from the seven-year-old.

Lily sighed again but James swore he saw a hint of a smile on her face as he held open the door to the cafe for her to pass through.

He could do it, he could make the woman he loved more than anything remember how much she loved him back.

* * *

 **Next Week:**

"Sorry." Melina apologized, "But James has no drivers license and no passport."

"Who doesn't have a drivers license?" Lily hissed.

"He said wizards don't need them." Melina looked at her wits end and Lily felt for her, "Lily, I can't find where he says he comes from."

'What place?" Lily asked, glancing back at James on the sofa worriedly.

"A place called Godric's Hollow." Melina rolled her eyes, "I've called every travel agent in town and checked google. I don't know if it's a city, or a state."

"More like a state of mind."

* * *

 **Thanks again for all the kind words about this little story! I never imagined everyone would love something so simple!**

 **I love all of you! Even you, scaredofrobots!**

 **xxx**

 **Petals**


	5. Magic Tricks

Thanks for all the kinds reviews and notes on tumblr. I adore all of you more than I adore the christmas aisles in the stores.

Disclaimer: I would just like to remind you guys that I don't own any of this and also I have no beta so that I can produce quicker updates. So don't hhhaaattteee onnnn meeeee.

* * *

5.

 _In our secret-est heart_

 _It's our favorite part of the story_

 _Let's just admit we all wanna make it to forever after_

James Potter didn't walk; he strutted like he owned the damn sidewalk. That was the first thing Lily noticed about him as she walked behind him. The second thing she noticed was the number of times he ran his fingers through his jet-black hair. She had originally assumed it was a nervous habit when she first met him but now she could see that he did it all the time. In the twenty-minute walk back to the office after agreeing he could try minding Harry, his hand flew to his hair five different times.

Lily counted each time.

She couldn't understand why she couldn't stop staring at him though.

Maybe it was because it upset Lily seeing the boys next to each other from behind because she really got a sense of how much Harry looked like James. They were both gawky with jet-black hair that stuck up on every end. If Lily could remember anything about Harry's father though, it wasn't gawkiness. It was the confidence James showed when he strutted down the sidewalk.

Harry had no such confidence. Harry walked next to James, occasionally letting his green eyes flutter up to the strange carrying his lunch. Lily couldn't say she blamed Harry for his peaked interest in their guest. At seven years old Lily would've killed for the chance to escape the mundane world she grew up in. At seven she would've loved to hear stories about owls, broomsticks and wizards. Of course, everything had changed now that she was an adult. Lily couldn't even imagine anything so whimsical such as magical spells and wizards on broomsticks.

On their walk back to Lily's office, James asked Harry about his school, wondering about favorite subjects and activities. Harry told James about karate and falling off the monkey bars and not breaking a single bone in his body. The only reason Lily hadn't stopped the interaction between her boy and James was because of how well Harry responded to James. Harry actually looked up at James and responded gladly, enthusiastic even to his questions.

Harry never had many friends; it worried Lily and Harry's teachers. Harry was almost an outcast, shy and reclusive, unable to connect with any of the other kids. Perhaps it was Harry's stubborn side that drew the other kids his age away from him. Lily knew his mouth could get him into trouble sometimes, but Harry had a big heart, that's all that mattered. He was never invited to birthday parties or play dates and Lily couldn't understand why the other mothers allowed it to happen.

Lily supposed it didn't matter that Harry wasn't the most popular boy in school as long as he was healthy and seemed normal at home. It was more than Lily could say about herself, since she didn't even have a degree or formal education. She'd been homeschooled her whole life and she was determined to not make the same mistake her parents made with her when it came to Harry. Eric told Lily once after dinner that he worried Harry wasn't getting enough exercise, he added a few dollars to Lily's paycheck so she could sign Harry up for karate. Harry went to class and participated but it was almost as if he found it boring.

Either way, this outgoing behavior was something Lily hadn't seen from Harry in quite some time and she didn't want to discourage the socialization. Besides, James was keeping a respectful distance from Harry; he hadn't even touched the boy yet.

Lily was startled from her inner monologue when they reached the office building where she worked and James addressed her gently.

"Sorry?" She asked James, putting her hand on Harry's shoulder as she looked into James' warm hazel eyes.

"James asked if you wanted to eat outside before we go into the building." Harry told Lily, pointing to the sacks of food in James' hands.

"Oh," Lily shrugged, "No, I can't, I have to get back upstairs. They've probably already started without me there."

James nodded politely and opened the door for her and Harry, "what is it you do?"

"I'm a temp for a divorce lawyer." Lily told James.

James screwed up his face in bewilderment, "a what?"

Lily eyed James, "let me guess," she said, "You don't have divorce lawyers where you're from?"

James shook his head, "nah, sounds important though, is it something you're good at?"

Lily sighed profoundly as they made their way to the elevator, "I take notes and deliver coffee, it's not rocket science."

James hummed, as if he didn't want to answer. Lily had a feeling he didn't know what rocket science was. They got into the lift and Lily began taking off Harry's jacket. James stared out the windows that flashed by as they rose higher into the air. Lily paused from unbuttoning Harry's jacket to stare at the way James' jaw clenched when he overlooked the city. He looked so different in those few seconds, so serious.

"You alright Mr. Potter?" She asked, not unkindly.

James broke from his reverie to look down at Lily, "Just thinking."

Curiosity got the best of her, "About?"

James raised an eyebrow at her, "My wife."

"You miss her?"

The lift doors opened as James bent his head to stare at the floor, "Oh, look, we're here."

Harry led the way out the elevator and into the offices where Lily worked. Lily followed harry, keeping her eye trained on the man, who seemed troubled after learning more about her. She wished she knew more about him.

Melina looked up from the front desk in confusion when she saw Lily enter the office with a man wearing robes in tow. Lily suddenly realized that Melina could help her out.

"Lily?" Melina said in surprise, "who's this?"

Lily glanced at James at her side, "Melina, James, James, Melina." Lily leaned over the desk worriedly, "Melina, please don't tell me, Eric already stared the meeting."

Melina confirmed, "Mrs. Banks is here."

Lily blew her fringe from her eyes, "Great."

Melina eyed James; "You leave to get a sandwich for your son and bring back a man?"

"He's married." Lily stated evenly.

"So am I."

Melina winked and James snorted, appreciating her snark. Lily took a deep breath, wishing for a macchiato and a massage. James seemed to notice her annoyance and stopped laughing. He walked over to where Harry was staring into a fish tank at all the fish in awe. Harry cheerily welcomed James in on his fish adventure.

"Eric keeps texting asking where you are."

"Perfect, how long has he been at it?" Lily asked weakly.

Melina raised her eyebrow, "Do you really want to know?"

"No, I don't." Lily motioned to James and Harry, both mimicking fish faces at each other, "watch them for me, would you?"

"You want me to babysit an adult?" Melina asked.

Lily leaned in closer, "His name is James Potter and I need you to do a little digging on him."

"Why?" Melina asked.

"Name, birthday, records." Lily hissed, "I want to know his entire life story."

Melina sensed the tone in Lily's voice a nodded, restarting her computer screen. Lily glanced back over to James and Harry. Harry was laughing at James' fish face, trying to squeeze James cheeks tighter. Lily stepped over to them, a serious look of her face that drew both boys from their goofiness.

"I'll be back out here after the meeting is over." She said to James before leaning down to kiss Harry's forehead, "Be good Harry."

James grinned and nodded to Harry, "We'll be fine."

Lily hurried towards the closed door on the right of the office. She interrupted the meeting of course, all eyes turned to look at Lily as she slipped through the door and she apologetically waved to everyone as she closed the door behind her. Eric grinned at her from his spot, motioning to the empty seat beside him.

"Nice of you to join us Lily," Eric said warmly, skiving off any uncomfortable feelings in the room, "I almost sent Melina to go find you."

"Sorry," she sat down and pulled a pen and paper close to her.

"It's no problem," Eric whispered to her, as the dealings began again, "you didn't miss anything too riveting."

Lily involuntary laughed as she began transcribing notes for Eric. It seemed the couple had started to slowly reach agreement. They were at least speaking civilly now, which was a step up from the last meeting where they'd screamed at each other the entire time. Of course, that did mean less entertainment and Lily began to drift into her subconscious as she wrote. Funnily enough, she was thinking about James out in the office with Harry.

Lily couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief when Eric and the other lawyers called it a day. She jumped up while Eric spoke to one of the other lawyers and instead of sticking around, she made a beeline for her son. Eric seemed surprised to see her move so quickly but she didn't want to waste any time. She was hoping Melina got some insight on James Potter while she was trapped in the office.

Of course when Lily spotted Melina on the computer, she couldn't take the disenchanted look on Melina's face. Lily could feel her faith falling as she made her way to the desk. Her eyes glanced over once to the fish tank where James and Harry were playing with something together.

"What'd you find out?" Lily asked Melina.

"Sorry." Melina apologized when Lily got close enough, "But James has no drivers license and no passport."

"Who doesn't have a drivers license?" Lily hissed.

"He said wizards don't need them." Melina looked at her wits end and Lily felt for her, "Lily, I can't find where he says he comes from."

'What place?" Lily asked, glancing back at James on the sofa worriedly.

"A place called Godric's Hollow." Melina rolled her eyes, "I've called every travel agent in town and checked google. I don't know if it's a city, or a state."

"More like a state of mind."

Melina took a deep breath as James started making his way over to them at the desk, "He told me it's not far from dragon breeding grounds and a school for wizards."

Lily snorted, "Right, and I'll bet his Uncle is Merlin."

"Actually my grandfather swears we're related to Merlin somehow." James had come up behind the girls and caught the last bit of their conversation.

"You know, I can't tell if you're serious or joking." Lily snapped at James.

He actually laughed at that, "One of my many talents." He said, smirking foolishly at Lily, "How was your meeting?"

"Fine." Lily replied nippily, "How was Harry?"

"He's a funny kid." James said fondly, "He's smart too."

"Mum!" Harry came running up to Lily with a wide grin that matched James', he was holding something in his hands, "James can do magic tricks!" Harry showed her a golden coin in his fingers, "He made a paperclip turn into this coin!"

"Wow," Lily feigned her amusement before looking up at James who seemed shamefaced, "How fascinating."

"You have to teach me how." Harry told James, green eyes bright.

James laughed and ruffled his own hair, "Maybe one day mate, when you're older."

"How much older?" Harry asked, "I'm already seven!"

James pretended to think it over, "Let's say, eleven."

Harry looked disappointed. Lily was done with the games and addressed Harry in her best 'mum' voice to go fetch his coat. Harry dragged his feet but did as he was told. Lily crossed her arms and assessed James next, watching the way he kept his hazel eyes on her face despite her chilled temperament.

"Melina said you don't have a drivers license."

James rolled his eyes, "Of course not."

"So you just walk everywhere?"

"Or apparate."

Lily pressed her fingers to her temples, "Any word from those friends of yours that you said you were waiting on?"

James shrugged, "They said to give 'em a week and it hasn't even been a day."

"Fantastic." She said sarcastically, "Listen Mr. Potter, how am I supposed to let you watch Harry if I can't even get a proper background check done on you?"

"I'm James," James stepped forward, "that's all you need to know. I went to school and did pretty well, got Head Boy after all. I like to eat meat pies and play quidditch."

"None of that helps." Lily said blandly.

"At least he's decent to look at." Melina said playfully form her desk and Lily sent Melina a glare to let her know she wasn't helping.

James continued to try and talk lily into letting him stick around, "How'd I do babysitting? Doesn't that matter? Harry's alive and he had fun. No cats were turned purple."

Lily swallowed deeply before admitting, "I don't feel comfortable with you watching Harry without me around and that defeats the purpose of baby sitter—"

"But mum!" Harry was back and he looked upset at Lily's words, "I like him!"

James bent down to ruffle Harry's hair, "Ah, mate, I like hanging out with you too but your mum makes the rules." James shot Lily a ride look, like she was the reason for all of Harry's troubles.

Lily couldn't believe it. The boys were both playing her, together. It was like having two children. Melina wasn't helping either, what with her sly looks in James' direction.

"Harry we'll find you a new sitter, maybe Melina—"

Melina said quite loudly, "Don't look at me, Lily."

Harry's lower lip trembled, "But I wanted to take James to the zoo so he could see the komodo dragons!"

"Lily." Melina had come around the desk and pulled Lily to the side a bit to hiss in her ear, "I really think you should give this James bloke another chance. He was very good with Harry and I think Harry really likes him—even if he seems a bit odd."

"Melina." Lily hissed back, "The man thinks he's a wizard."

"I mean," Melina agreed partially, "That's a little strange but maybe he's one of those traveling comedian magicians?"

"Mummy please!" Harry burst out from beside James.

Harry had big fat tears welling up in his eyes and Lily sighed deeply, not believing what she was about to say. Lily stepped closer to her son and bent down on one knee to get to his level. Lily pushed some of the tears from his eyes, giving him a firm but kind face to look at.

"Okay," she said, "Here's my deal. Tomorrow, Harry, I'll go with you to the zoo."

Harry sniffed, "And James can come with?"

Lily said through gritted teeth as James beamed at her, "Yeah, sure honey, James can come too."

Harry laughed excitedly, tears gone as quick as they'd come. He threw his arms around James who looked surprised but accepted the hug after a few moments. Lily was surprised and tried to shy away as one of Harry's hands reached out and grabbed her pants, pulling her into his hug. James snorted as Harry wrapped his arms around both of them excitedly. It was probably the most excited Lily had ever seen her son in his entire life. Lily shared a smile with James for the first time all day.

"What's going on here?"

Lily pulled out of the hug to see Eric standing, staring at them with raised eyebrows. James let go of Harry and Harry grabbed onto his mums' clothes, peering at Eric with wide eyes. Eric had his arms crossed and was waiting for Lily to speak.

"Eric I—"

"No Lily," Eric broke her off, his eyes fluttering to James with revulsion, "Let's talk about how I've been asking you out for ages and you said you were concerned about Harry and I thought— _wow she's such a great mum, putting her son first_ —but now I see you were just worried about crowd control."

Eric ripped open the door to the office and stalked out, slamming it behind him so that the few picture frames on the wall shook.

"Well, saw that one coming." Melina harrumphed next to Lily.

"Who was that?" James asked moodily, looking quite unhappy at the interruption himself.

"Eric," Melina told James, "Our boss, he's had the hots for Lily since they met."

"Clearly, Lily doesn't have 'the hots' for him." James mumbled just loud enough so that Lily could hear and glare at him.

"Well great." Lily said sarcastically, "I had no idea my life would turn into a lifetime movie with you around."

"A what?" James asked.

Lily exclaimed, "How do you _not_ know what a movie is?"

"How do _you_ not know what a muggle is?" he countered back with a lifted eyebrow.

"You know what, I take it back." Lily pushed her hair from her face, "I'll get you to a bus, a train, a plane, wherever, and then that's it! I can't get involved after that."

"Listen," James assured her, "I'll be completely honest, I didn't like the way he looked at you."

Lily's fists clenched together, "How do you have a say in how people look at me?"

"I—" he paused, seemly rethinking whatever he was going to say. His shoulders dropped, "I guess I have no say." He sent her an apologetic look, "sorry Evans."

She sent him a pointed look, "You've created completely unnecessary drama. He probably thinks that you and I—"

James somehow looked pleased, "He thinks we're what?"

"Shagging." Melina answered unhelpfully and Lily resisted the urge to kick her friend, who looked super amused by all the happenings in the office.

"Well, that's a pretty understandable presumption." James said sardonically, "Considering I was just standing here."

"You were hugging me and my child!" Lily glowered at James, "Eric is the only one who gave me a chance when I was really struggling an now you've—ugh—never mind you wouldn't understand!"

"You could do better." James told Lily confidently, "What about Harry's real dad?"

Melina quickly excused herself to help Harry button up his coat while Lily and James argued.

Lily huffed "What about him?"

"Where is he?"

"Harry's father is dead." She lied, not wanting to get into specifics with a stranger.

He looked taken aback, " _Dead_?"

"It's fine." She replied casually, "Harry and I don't care."

"Well," James looked frustrated, "That's just _great_."

It was a lie of course, not that Lily would ever admit it to James. Harry did care that he didn't have a father and a small part of Lily cared too. They all walked out together, Harry telling James about the other animals at the zoo he was excited to see. Lily walked behind them wondering why she felt so weird for lying to James. He was essentially a stranger, a weird one at that. At the same time he was sweet, and he was very good with Harry.

All in all, James gave Lily weird feelings that she couldn't make out.

Once they'd reached the front doorstep where they'd met, Harry came back to his mother's side. James stood on the bottom step, his hands shoved in his pockets. It was like he was looking for something to say.

Lily spoke first, "Have a good night."

James' eyes fluttered up to hers and she was startled to see his trademark grin, back again after fading for sometime after their fight, "Goodnight."

"Will you meet us at the zoo tomorrow?" Harry asked James eagerly.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world." James promised Harry kindly.

Lily opened the door and let Harry inside.

She was surprised when she turned and asked James, "Where are you going to stay tonight?"

James adjusted his glasses before replying back, "I'll go find an inn that accepts sickles as a form of payment."

Lily tilted her head at him, "Sickles?"

James smiled widely before pulling a silver coin from his pocket, tossing it at Lily. She caught it and it was still warm from his pocket. She examined the coin eagerly. It was unlike any coin she had ever seen with a dragon carved on the front and the image of a building on the back. She looked back up at James and he was still smiling.

"Like it?" he asked, "You can keep it."

"Why a dragon?" Lily snorted, looking back down at the coin in fascination.

"Why not a dragon?" was his charming reply.

Lily hid her small chuckle by tucking the coin into her pocket as she turned away, "Goodnight James."

As she shut the door she didn't know why his words made her heart beat faster and her fingers itch for more of his lighthearted mood.

* * *

 **Next Time:**

"Why do you care so much about Harry?" Lily asked, "You just met him yesterday."

"I lost my son." James told her sincerely, "There's a hundred and one things I wish I could've done with him."


	6. Reflection

**Thanks for waiting a few extra days! I had jury duty because karma.**

* * *

 _6._

 _I am now i_ _n a world where I h_ _ave to hide my heart_

 _And what I believe in_

 _but somehow_ _I will show the world_

 _What's inside my heart_

James remembers the exact moment he fell in love with Lily Evans. He always told her that it was love at first sight but even he didn't believe in such a fairytale ideal. Instead, he fell in love with her slowly. Every day that he spent in her company gradually led to him looking at her one late night and realizing that even something as simple as the way she brushed her fingers through her hair drove him spare.

She'd brushed her fingers through her hair when she said goodnight to him and James was taken back to their days behind castle walls.

He was reminded of her laughter on the coldest days where she'd chuck snowballs at him as they walked outside.

He was reminded of her touch, so soft and playful whenever they sat together by a fireplace.

He was reminded of every moment he'd had to live without the last seven years.

Even though James knew Lily and Harry were safe inside their home with the number of protection spells he'd put up, he wasn't willing to go far from them. James walked a little ways up the street to a small pond littered with trees and sleeping swans. It was no warm motel or comfy feather bed but he couldn't bring himself to be out of sight of Lily's home.

Once James was settled under the tree in the dark he reached inside one of his pockets for his wand. His fingers slid across the wooden handle as he thought of his time spent in prison. It wasn't something he wanted to think about but his mind slid back to the damp make shift-holding areas for wizards of threat. James always supposed that he was lucky he was never carted off to Azkaban but he was sure Umbridge wished she'd just offed him when she had the chance.

James sighed as he thought of Lily's declaration in the office, about Harry's father being dead. Umbridge must've planted some pretty awful fake memories in her head. James wished that there was a way he could just get Lily to remember her world on her own but he knew it was impossible. Without the memories stolen from her in the chambers seven years ago, Lily was just an empty cursed shell of herself.

James' fingers were white as they clenched his wand.

"Prongs."

He heard it, barely a whisper, coming form his robe pocket. James dropped the wand at his side and pulled a small handheld mirror from his pocket. Instead of James' dark face in the glass though, Sirius was smiling widely at James from what appeared to be the cottage in Godric's Hollow. James managed a smile for his best mate.

"What's up Padfoot?"

"Just checking to make sure you're still alive." Sirius said kindly, "How's the missus?"

"She's been trying to get rid of me all day."

"Not much has changed in seven years then."

Both men laughed, tenderly remembering _their_ Lily. Sirius' face was half obscured, it looked the lamp in the sitting room was partially blocked by his body. James though he spotted Marlene reading a book behind Sirius. He wondered if she had any leads. James' eyes glanced back towards Lily's place and Sirius saw his gaze.

"Hey I know you don't want to leave Lily, I get it, but I think you should come back to Godric's Hollow to sleep tonight."

"I don't want to leave her and Harry." James said, noticing all of Lily's lights were now off.

Sirius was silent and then, "They made it seven years together, they can make it another eight hours."

"Padfoot." James moaned, his eyes looking up the street, "I—"

Sirius shook his head "Marlene needs to talk to you."

"Fine." James grumbled and stood up, "But if something happens to Lily or Harry while I'm there I'll string the lot of you up by your ears."

Sirius rolled his eyes, "You've been around Harry for two seconds and your dad voice is already back."

"Shove off." James grabbed his wand from the ground, "See you in two seconds."

James took one last look down the street before disapperating.

Godric's Hollow was quieter than the city. Lily always preferred quiet countryside's to loud busy cities. The lights to their small cottage were on, like they always were. Someone was always staying at the Potter's cottage and tonight was no difference. James could see three forms moving in the sitting room. The defense charms must've gone off because Marlene and Sirius came out to meet him in the street. Marlene was still wearing the same clothes she'd been in that morning. Sirius had added a woolen hat to his head, covering his ears.

"Make it quick." James snapped at Marlene, "I want to get back to Lily."

Marlene said smartly, "I didn't need to tell you anything. Sirius just needed an excuse to get you to come back."

"Are you serious?" James complained, "What the fuck is wrong with the both of you?"

Marlene snorted and crossed her arms, "Last I checked James normal people _sleep_ at night."

Sirius agreed with her, "Lily and Harry won't thank you for getting bloody pneumonia from sleeping on the side of the road."

"Come on Potter." Marlene grabbed James' arm and pushed him towards the cottage, "Remus made you some gin and tonic for your nerves."

"Make it double." Sirius said.

Marlene muttered something about murdering the both of them but James was too busy telling Sirius about his afternoon with Harry to care. In the end, James supposed he was thankful for his friends, who thought clearly when he couldn't. He ended up falling asleep on the couch in the living room staring at a photo of his family.

James woke up the next morning to the front door of the cottage banging open. It startled him and it took a moment for James to realize where he was. The clock on the mantel, Lily's little cuckoo clock, showed a time of six in the morning. Marlene peeked her head in the living room and grinned when she saw him splayed on the sofa.

"Hey lover boy." She said to him, "Did you sleep well?"

"I slept fine." James stretched, "Where're the others?"

"Kitchen." Marlene replied, "Remus left just now to go find out what he can underground about Peter Pettigrew's whereabouts."

"Remus had better be careful." James said, throwing a blanket off his legs, "Peter even gets a sniff of us and he'll run off to Merlin only knows where."

"He's under polyjuice." Marlene waved James' worries aside, "He'll be fine."

James picked up his wand and shoved it into his pocket. Marlene watched with eyes wide.

"Where are you headed now?"

"To the zoo."

Marlene crossed her arms, "What?"

James pushed past Marlene, "Harry wants to go see this komono dragon or something weird like that."

"How do you know this?"

"Harry told me and Lily invited me." James mumbled, "Harry wants me to go to the zoo with him."

Marlene pulled back in shock, "Wait, _what_?"

James repeated, "Harry wants me to go to the zoo tomorrow."

"No, I got that." Marlene crossed in front of the cottage doorway, "But why would Harry ask a stranger to go to the zoo?"

"Uhm," James awkwardly glanced at the floor and Marlene groaned.

Marlene followed James to the kitchen. Sirius tossed an apple at James and he caught it before answering Marlene's nosy quips. Sirius' eyes had dark circles under them and James wondered how hard it was for Sirius to sit back and pretend not to know Lily and his godson. James gripped Sirius' shoulder kindly.

"James," Marlene said exasperatedly, "You spoke to them again, didn't you?"

Sirius tilted his head at James, "So, what'd you do to get Lily to talk to you again without jinxing you?"

"First of all," James said heatedly, "she _can't_ jinx me because she doesn't know she has magic."

Sirius placed a hand on his face and partially laughed, "Merlin, it's like we're back in fifth year."

"Second of all," James said loudly over Marlene's snort, "She needed a nanny for Harry and I offered to take the position."

"You what?" Marlene and Sirius said simultaneously.

James nodded firmly, "Yup."

"James." Marlene sighed, "You are supposed to lay low."

"I never agreed to laying low."

"He did never agree to lay low." Sirius grinned, "So, zoo?"

"You want to come?" James grinned back at Sirius.

"Who else is going to convince Evans that you're not crazy besides the person who originally convinced her you aren't crazy?" Sirius chugged his drink before slamming the cup on the table.

Marlene immediately interceded, "No, no." She snapped, "Black you are not—"

"Let's get one thing straight." Sirius said, "I do whatever I want."

" _We've_ got Lily's memories to find." Marlene reminded Sirius, "And we're _not_ going to find them convincing Lily that James isn't an idiot." Sirius rolled his eyes but James sobered as Marlene continued her monologue, "Remus is due back tonight with news from the underground and as soon as we get a lead we _have_ to follow it or we'll take six months finding Pettigrew and by then Umbridge will have a lead on the Potters and then we'll be right back to square one!"

"Well." Sirius rolled his eyes, "When you put it that way."

James sighed apologetically, "Sorry mate." Sirius looked disappointed, "Maybe you can meet them another day." James grabbed a bit of toast before waving to Sirius and Marlene, "Ta."

"I'd tell you to tell them that I love them but I guess that's pointless until we find Pettigrew." Sirius called after James' retreat gloomily.

James felt bad for leaving Sirius behind but Marlene was right, they needed to find Lily's memories. When James made it back to Lily's he knocked on the door politely, eyes taking in the wreath on the door that so matched the one back home. He knocked one more time and he heard little pitter-patters of feet. Lily's was yelling something when the happiest seven-year-old boy James had ever seen tore the door open.

"Hey mate!" James smirked, getting down to Harry's level, "How are you?"

"Hi!" Harry was practically bursting out of his trousers with excitement, "Mum's putting on her shoes and then we're gonna go!"

James half laughed, "Are you excited?"

"So excited!" Harry was leaning into his toes, "I hope they have giraffes!"

"I'm more excited about those dragons!"  
"Me too!" Harry automatically agreed with James, puffing out his chest, "Maybe it'll breathe fire."

"Harry it won't breathe fire."

James' heart stopped when Lily rounded the corner pulling on a light sweater. He couldn't help but send her a sheepish grin when her eyes fell on him kneeling by her son.

"Hello James." She said his name so casually, but to James it meant the world.

He beamed, "Lily."

Lily addressed Harry next, "Grab your jacket please."

"Did you sleep well?" he asked her.

"I guess."

"I slept well." Harry said, "I dreamt we flew on James' broomstick."

Lily was buttoning up Harry's jacket when she asked James, "Where did you stay? Does the Inn accept sickles?"

"Nowhere around here accepts sickles." James chuckled.

"Of course not." Lily eyed him curiously, "So where did you sleep?"

"Scotland."

"You're mad." She scoffed, standing up and grabbing Harry's hand.

James winked at her, "As mad as they come."

Lily blinked quickly before nodding curtly, "Right, well, let's go then."

They walked side by side down the street. James kept close to Harry, who was jumping on leaves as they walked to a bus station. The zoo was pretty far; they had to take two trains to get to it. James almost suggested they apparate but he knew Lily would never let him near Harry again if he pulled out his wand on them. Harry didn't seem to mind the time it took to get to the zoo. James entertained Harry with stories from his world, including one where James tried training a hinkypunk in his backyard.

Lily spent most of the ride stuck in her own little world, her green eyes trained on something out the windows that James (nor Harry) could see.

James let Harry hold his hand when they finally reached the zoo gates. Harry's other hand was clasped in his mother's hand. James smirked when Lily noticed Harry's deliberate attempt to make them look like a family. She flushed a little as they walked alongside an owl exhibit. James stopped them in front of the owl exhibit, pointing out a snowy owl.

"I used to have one like this." He told them both, "My mate Sirius named her Muffin."

"Muffin." Harry snorted, "What kind of name is that?"

"She always knicked a bit of his muffin at breakfast." James winked at Harry.

"You'd bring your owl to breakfast?" Lily seemed amused by his story.

"When else would he deliver the mail?" James asked Lily, who seemed stumped by the suggestion.

James couldn't believe some of the animals that he saw. There were towering giraffes that ate lettuce heads. A spotted cat romanced around an exhibit covered in jungle like trees. James and Harry both spent twenty minutes fascinated by these things called rhinos, which looked like fat grey unicorns.

Slowly, Lily started opening up too. She walked beside James quietly, not speaking, too focused on watching harry be a kid. They both laughed when Harry made faces into the glass at the otter display. Her eye caught his and he smiled wide at Lily. She finally smiled back, looking away quickly and tucking her hair behind her ear.

James fell in love with her every time he saw her rare smile.

"Why do you care so much about Harry?" Lily asked awkwardly as they shared a pretzel while Harry fed some goats, "You just met him yesterday."

"I lost my son." James told her sincerely, "There's a hundred and one things I wished I could've done with him."

Lily eyed him weirdly, but pleasantly surprised James when she stepped closer.

"What happened to them?" she wondered out loud, "Your son and wife?"

James looked over at Harry and swallowed thickly, "I told you, a witch cursed them to your world."

"So, what's the deal?" Lily asked, "You have to find them and wake them up from some spell?" she laughed despite herself, "True Loves Kiss?"

James arched an eyebrow at her, "It's a bit more complicated than that."

"Ah, of course it is." Lily replied shortly before smiling down at her hands, "So how long have you been with your wife?"

James shoved his hands into his pockets, "We got married after school. I was nineteen."

Lily's head shot up, "You're joking."

"No," James said sincerely, "I'm not."

"Yeah, you are."

"No." James said, "I'm _not_."

Lily snorted, "You fell in love with her the minute you saw her?"

"Not the minute." James said firmly, "It took me a while to figure out what I felt for her was love."

Lily said with a roll of her eyes, "You're unreal."

James shrugged and then decided to ask his own questions, "How long have you been warding off your boss' advances?"

"Uh," Lily recoiled, 'I've known Eric for around three years."

"Three years?!"

Lily sounded uncomfortable, "I don't know...I mean he's nice but I wanted to make sure he wasn't just in it for a shag, you know?"

"Bloody Hell," James muttered with a roll of his eyes, "You're as stubborn as any."

"Excuse you!" Lily pointed her finger into James' chest, "That's rude!"

"Well, yeah, I guess." James snorted, "But who waits three years before accepting a date?"

"Maybe we should do what you would do." Lily poked back, "You meet, have lunch, and get married."

James threw a bit of pretzel at her and she gasped but her green eyes were sparkling, "You forgot about happily ever after."

Lily eyes darkened, "Forget "happily ever after." It doesn't exist."

"Well, of course it does." James whispered, "I had it once."

"Marriages are a success if they manage not to end." She rolled her eyes, "Unless from _your_ fairytale world where you apparently fall in love at first sight. I assume she loved you too and didn't run away?""

James chuckled, "Well, I'd say that I had to grow on her."

Lily seemed surprised about this; "She didn't love you at first?"

"Nah she did." James said dreamily, "She just didn't realize she loved me back until I fell fifty feet from a broomstick and broke my arm."

"What a great first date." Lily said with a smirk that reflected the Lily he'd known seven years ago.

"Our first date was in the Hospital Wing." James reminisced, "She snogged me when the Healer left."

"How romantic."

They led Harry through a butterfly pavilion and watched as the little boy got a card and began racing around to name all the butterflies. Lily leaned against the booth selling butterfly nectar, her green eyes tracing Harry's energy optimistically. She looked more like herself, with her red hair fanning around her shoulders as she watched Harry. It took everything in James' power not to reach out and brush the strands of hair away from her eyes.

"You and Harry look a lot alike." Lily murmured suddenly, "I'd almost say you were brothers."

"Do you remember his dad?" James inquired.

Lily shrugged, "All I remember is he was charming, attractive, and had me at hello."

"Sounds perfect." James caught himself murmuring.

Lily reached her finger out for a butterfly on a branch, "It was a disaster." Then she pulled her finger back and glowered at James, "I'm quite jealous of your wife."

"Why?" he asked, startled by her honesty.

"Because at least you care enough to find her and your son." Lily said steadfastly, "At least you don't want them to wonder…"

"Wonder what?"

"Why they weren't good enough."

James took a step forward, "You are good enough."

Lily tucked her hair behind her ear and looked down at her feet, "In what world?" she smiled, "I have no degree. I have no prospects. I'm a single mother who has to rely on her boss to get by."

"You are smart, thoughtful, and beautiful." James said determinedly, "You shouldn't judge your worth by what happened in your past."

"Easy for you to say." Lily muttered as she stepped away from him, "You come from fairytale land."

James spent the rest of the day, entertaining Lily and Harry with more stories of his world. Stories where he was best friends with a werewolf with the ironic name of Remus, a boy called Sirius who ran away from his family, and another boy called Peter who betrayed James and that's how he lost his wife.

"He was your best friend and he betrayed you?" Lily asked as Harry stared at the polar bears in their watery habitat.

James stuffed his hands in his robes awkwardly, "We all fell for his act. He gave up the secret of where my family was hiding."

"And you lost them?" Lily placed a hand on his arm and he looked at her, puzzled.

"Yes." He blinked softly.

Lily didn't seem to know what to say so she just stopped talking.

At the end of the day, James dropped Harry and Lily back home. He felt awkward, not knowing how to leave them but not knowing how to stay with them either. James was a stranger to Lily, no matter how badly he didn't want to be. Harry hugged James and thanked him for going to the zoo before racing through the front door to a sitting room. Lily chewed on her lower lip, assessing James' downtrodden mood.

"Well, thanks for inviting me." James ruffled his hair and turned away from Lily, "It was fun."

"James. Wait." Lily followed James outside and closed the door so Harry couldn't listen in. James paused on the bottom step to stare up at her. The slight breeze was blowing her hair into her face so she pushed it all back into a makeshift bun before considering him with dark eyes.

She wrapped her arms around her stomach to show she was awkward, "I hope you wouldn't mind coming to watch Harry on Monday when I go back to work."

James felt a smile curve against his lips, "Yeah?" he asked keenly, "You want me to?"

Lily nodded, "You're very good with him."

"Thank you." James beamed, "You won't regret it."

She kept her lips slightly curved, "Have a good night James. See you Monday."

For the first time in years, James knew he would sleep soundly.

* * *

 **Next Time:**

James looked furious, "You're telling me that you work for someone who lets people in love separate from each other?"

"They aren't in love that's the point..."

"Bullshit." James' face was red and she'd never seen him this angry, "All these years you've just been—helping split families apart?"


	7. Love Is An Open Door

_All my life has been a series of doors in my face_

 _Then suddenly I bump into you_

 _I see your face and it's like nothing I've known before_

 _Now love is an open door_

Lily doesn't remember much about the night she met Harry's father thanks to a few too many drinks at the bar that night. She remembers struggling for a while before she met him. She remembers getting kicked out of her sister's house after her parents died. She remembers dropping out of school when she couldn't afford it anymore. She remembers a lot of bad memories and very few good.

The night she got pregnant comes in hazy hues of color, like visions that she can't quite place. If she thought too much about it, the memories stopped coming all together and she was stuck in a constant state of confusion. Sometimes she stared at Harry, trying to remember the man, what emotions he stemmed from.

Harry's father mostly came in small snippets.

A playful tug at the waist.

A crooked smile.

Looking at Harry, Lily couldn't really piece together anything about his father. Harry was skinny like Lily's mother and sister had been, unlike Lily's curves. Harry had a bit of Lily in him. His nose was Lily's (only slightly longer). He also had her green eyes, a tribute Lily was thankful for. The only thing Lily could attribute to Harry's unknown father was the way his hair was jet black, a trait that did not evolve from an Evans gene.

The morning after the zoo, Lily leaned against her counter, eyes trained on her son. Harry was eating his waffles quietly, eyes trained on the small tellie across the room. His black hair was stuck up in every which way from his sleeping. Lily squeezed her eyes shut and tried to remember the father, but nothing came to her. She exhaled in regret and reached for her cup of orange juice. Harry heard her sigh and turned his head slightly to watch Lily with his wide eyes.

"Is something wrong mummy?" he asked, sticky fingers grabbing another piece of waffle from his plate.

"I'm fine," Lily smiled at Harry, "How're your waffles?"

Harry smacks his lips together, "Could use more syrup."

Lily rolled her eyes and wagged her finger at Harry teasingly, "That sweet tooth is going to get you a one-way ticket to the dentist, Harry."

Harry stuck out his tongue at Lily and Lily gasped, placing down her mug in mock horror. Harry giggled mercifully as Lily made her way over to the stool where he sat kicking his legs. Her fingers reached into his hair and ruffled the black strands adoringly. Harry's giggles turned to squeals as she moved to tickling his sides and kissing his sticky cheek.

"Mummy stop!" he beseeched as her fingers moved across his bare skin, "Mum!"

"Say you're sorry for sticking your tongue out at me!" Lily cackled.

"Never!"

"Harry!"

"Mum!"

Lily fell to her knees in front of Harry as his shoulders relaxed and his sticky fingers wrapped into her dressing gown. She loved him, more than anything on earth, even if she didn't remember his father…it didn't matter. She stopped ticking him so they could stare at each other with equal wide smiles.

Harry wasn't his father; he wasn't even close.

Lily used her fingers to brush his messy hair to one side of his head.

The phone on the mantel rang suddenly, intercutting their morning bonding. Lily stood up, brushing her dressing gown before picking up the receiver and placing it on her ear.

"Hello?"

"Lily." Eric's voice flooded with relief from the other end.

"Eric." Lily sighed, leaning against the wooden panels of her wall.

"I—I wanted to apologize." He said worriedly, "I didn't mean to snap at you."

Lily felt the heat rush to her cheeks, "Oh, uhm, thanks Eric. It's alright, I just really wanted you to know that—"

"No, Lily," Eric begged, "I was stupid, no excuse. Let me make it up to you and take you out today for lunch?"

"Mum?" Harry said suddenly, breaking through Eric's phonecall.

"Yes?" she said as she checked to make sure he was drinking his milk.

"Can we go visit James today?"

Harry chewed eagerly on his waffle as he awaited her answer. Lily placed her hand over the mouthpiece and shook her head lightly at her son.

"Oh honey," Lily smiled, wiping her hair from her face as she stared at her boy, "you'll get to see him tomorrow, let's do something else today."

"You don't have to go to work today?" Harry perked up.

Lily returned her attention to the man on the phone, "Eric, I'd love too but I want to spend the day with Harry."

"Of course." Eric seemed put down, "And I am really sorry about overreacting."

"James is no one important." Lily told Eric, "He's bonkers, but he means well and is helping me with Harry."

"Yeah, I know." Eric seemed bashful, "Melina told me I wasn't being rational. I've just liked you for a really long time and got jealous when I saw how you looked...I mean how that relationship looked...I mean...I'm just really sorry Lily."

"Thanks for understanding Eric." Lily said thankfully, "Perhapes we can do something else."

"Yeah," Hope reentered Eric's tone, "Maybe I can find something fun for all of us to do."

"Alright," Lily le her fingers play with the phone wire, "Talk to you tomorrow."

"See you at work."

Lily hung up her phone and turned only to find Harry staring expectantly at her.

Harry wiggled in his seat, "you mean it? Just us today?"

Lily smiled at her son, enthused by his eagerness, "Of course I mean it. What do you want to do today?"

"The park!" Harry begged, "Can we go to the park and climb the trees?"

"I dunno about climbing trees," Lily snorted, "but we can go to the park."

There was something calming about the park. Lily always brought her favorite book and nestled under a tree Harry would deem safe for climbing. She'd kick off her loafers and the grass would tickle her toes. Outside Lily left free, almost like nothing was holding her back.

Harry loved it too. As Lily nestled into her crime solving novel Harry practiced swinging on the thicker branches he'd tested out. Lily would make sure to look up from her book every once in a while to make sure he wasn't going to hurt himself but Harry was pretty good at swinging on the branches. She had no idea where he got his athleticism.

The breeze made Lily's red hair tickle her nose as she read. A bit of laughter drover her from the words in the book and her green eyes looked up to see a young couple grinning and smiling at each other as they passed the tree. Her heart did its usual lurch when she saw the way they looked at each other. He had his arm thrown over her shoulder and she had one hand shoved in the back pocket of his jeans. Lily's fists clenched around the book as the boy leaned over to kiss the girl on her temple.

Lily's mind flashed to James immediately and she thought of the way he so clearly loved his missing wife. James had been just as sure about his wife as the couple was sure in front of her. The way he'd spoken about his boy and the way he'd lost everything.

Was everyone in the world doomed to fall in love, only for love to fall apart?

A short shout from above Lily made her rip her eyes from the couple and scout the tree branches just as Harry fell to the ground in front of her with a sickening crunch.

" _Harry_!"

Lily tossed the book aside but before she could check him for broken bones, her son jumped up with wide unsure eyes. Harry's green eyes skirted around and the couple in front of them was staring with concerned eyes. Lily waved at them as she helped Harry wipe dirt off his shirt.

"He's okay!" she promised the couple before hissing at Harry, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine?" he half giggled, feeling his face for any scrapes or bruises.

He had nothing on him, not a scratch. Lily dragged her fingers across his skin frantically, worried, but the weird thing was that Harry didn't have a single mark on him. Lily cursed inwardly, furrowing her eyebrows, staring at her son in shock. Had anyone fallen from the tree they would've at least gotten cut up by the branches and yet Harry stood before her unscathed.

Lily took Harry home, both of them agreeing to not say anything else about the tree incident. Lily was astounded Harry didn't at least _cry_. She kept asking Harry if he was okay but he finally told her to stop asking or he'd actually hurt himself just to shut her up. Lily told Harry that if he sassed her one more time then she'd make him clean all the dishes by himself.

Monday was normal, for how weird the weekend had been. Lily got up, dressed herself, James appeared at the perfect time to take Harry to school, and she made it to the office with time to spare. It took what felt like twenty hours but finally, Eric was able to get a settlement with their client. She exited the meeting room thinking that her life was going to get back to normal.

Eric grinned at her and she smiled back as they exited the meeting space. Outside by the main desk Lily glared in confusion when she saw James was in the office. She spotted him reading a magazine upside down on the couch. He had his feet propped up on the back of the couch like some ill-mannered arse, his head hanging off the end as he read. Lily's eyes flashed to Harry, who was doing the same exact pose opposite James. They were both reading off words to each other and snickering relentlessly.

"So, is that Harry's father?" Eric asked her, catching her gaze and looking relieved when she shook her head quickly.

"No," Lily told Eric, "His babysitter."

"Jesus," Eric told her, "I didn't realize how much they looked alike."

"Excuse me." Lily told Eric, a catch in her tone, "I'm gonna speak to them-over there for a second."

Lily jet set for James and Harry. Harry spotted Lily first and rolled over onto his stomach so he could scramble for her. He threw his arms around her and she kissed his cheek before looking at James expectantly. James' glasses were lopsided as he righted himself.

"Hope you don't mind." James said with a grin that made her heart flutter haphazardly, "I went to pick Harry up from school like you asked me to do and then we decided to come wait for you so we could walk home together."

"You want to walk home from here?" Lily asked suspiciously, "It's four blocks away, James."

"The fresh air will be good for you."

"I get enough fresh air thanks." She deadpanned, "It'll take us at least forty minutes to get home."

"I walk fast."

"And I'm in heels."

"I'll carry you if you get tired."

Lily crossed her arms and he just beamed at her, like their banter brought him great joy. James' eyes glanced behind her to where she knew Eric was standing, watching.

"Boss allowing you to talk to other men then?" James' eyes flashed.

"If you must know, he called to apologize yesterday."

"What was his problem?" James asked, "Still has the hots for you?"

"James." Lily sighed deeply.

"What?" James grabbed Harry's hand so Harry couldn't run away to the candy jar on the nearest desk, "You said it, not me."

Suddenly, Barb from the account came walking up behind Lily to gush at Harry, "Oh how cute!"

Lily turned to face barn, who was looking quite bright eyed after winning her case to get more from her ex husbands estate. James saw Barb's football jersey and a wider grin erupted on his face. Even though Barb was a complete stranger, James stuck out his hand and Barb shook his hand gracelessly. Lily's teeth were gritted as she watched the scene unfold just as Barb's ex husband Tom stomped over to watch Barb with James jealously.

"Love your jersey!" James told Barb happily, "Number thirteen! That's my lucky number!"

Barb looked uncomfortable but Lily could swear the older woman fluffed her hair and checked James out at the same time. Lily had no idea why it unnerved her but she didn't seem to be the only one—Tom inched closer to the small party by the desk.

"Do you like football?" Barb asked James.

"Don't know much about it to be honest." James told Barb, "I play quidditch myself."

Lily saw Barb's very confused face and she cut in quickly, "James is from Sweden. They play weird things there."

"I'm not from Sweden." James rolled his eyes and Lily hit him in the gut with her elbow, "Fine. I'm from Sweden."

"I got her that jersey at our first date." Tom interrupted gruffly, cutting into the conversation before Barb could get in a word edgewise.

"Cool." James said cheerily, not noting Tom's hostile tone like Lily did "Isn't it great when you've got a girl who appreciates sports? My wife and I used to go to games together."

"We used to go to games together too."

James beamed, "You two should go again. It's a great date night."

"That's what I've always said."

Barb shot a wicked glance at Tom and Lily felt every bone in her body screaming at her to yank James away from the conversation but she just stood there watching the scene unfold in horror.

"Excuse me?" Tom turned his head angrily.

James beamed, sticking out his hand to Tom as Lily felt as if she was going to melt into the floor, "You are super lucky, hard to find a lady who loves sports, eh?"

"You try telling him that." Barb huffed, shooting Tom a degraded look.

"I'm certain he already knows." James shrugged, "No bloke should take a girl for granted while he has her."

"Well the nerve." Tom hissed, fists turning white from the pressure of his holding himself so taught.

"Excuse me." Lily stepped in-between James and the couple, looking embarrassed, "I'm sorry, Barb and Tom, James isn't—"

James didn't catch her worried tone, "Isn't Lily great?" James grinned at her, "She's so caring and understanding."

"What?" Lily blinked openly at James, confounded.

James tilted his head like Harry would do when he was confused, "You're a doctor right? You were a healer, so I figured you'd be the muggle equivalent."

"Is this a joke?" Barb asked Lily, hitching her purse up her shoulder, "Is this one of your interns?"

Lily shook her head, "No Miss Butler, I just—I'm only trying to—"

"If this is some ploy to get us to change our terms," Tom said irritably, "I'll counter sue the entire branch."

Lily's felt the color drain from her face, "I swear—James is just my nanny—he wasn't trying to change any minds. He doesn't even know what this is."

James' brow furrowed in bewilderment as he gazed at Lily, "You aren't a doctor?"

"No. I'm a divorce attorney's assistant." Lily told James.

James' hazel eyes seemed unable to comprehend, they were dull as Lily gazed into them with an aggressive look to drop the topic. He didn't, of course.

"What's an divorce attorney?"

Lily pressed her fingers to her temple, "It's someone who helps people separate. People who no longer want to be together."

James' looked around at the group before him but his hand stayed clenched in Harry's, "I don't understand?"

"They're not together anymore." Lily slowly brought James to proper sense, "James they're _separating_ from each other."

"Separating?"

James' eyes went dark for the first time since Lily had met him. Lily took a step back from him and assessed his odd behavior. All of sudden he looked as if she'd triggered some horrible memory. Then she remembered, he'd lost his wife…this was his own personal Hell.

"Yes." She squeaked.

James looked furious, "You're telling me that you work for someone who lets people in love separate from each other?"

She quickly rushed to defend herself, "They aren't in love James, that's the point..."

" _Bullshit_."

Barb covered her mouth. James' face was red. She'd never seen him this angry. James let go of Harry's hand to let his fingers grip his messy hair in frustration. His other hand motioned to Barb and Tom who seemed to realize James was genuinely shocked.

"All these years you've just been—helping split families apart?" James' voice broke as he stared at Lily helplessly, as if she were the reason he was family-less.

"People don't stay together forever," Lily snapped self-consciously, "No matter what you bloody think."

"Why?"

"Why?" Lily asked shrewdly, "Because James, this is reality."

"Is he actually upset?" Barb whispered to Tom who shrugged.

"This is so unprofessional!" Tom told Lily, "If you guys are trying to manipulate us. The whole deal is off."

"What is going on here?" Eric arrived just in time for chaos.

"Nothing." James said coldly, glancing at Eric with every bit of dislike, "We were just leaving."

Eric glanced at Lily for explanation but she could give none. James stared at Barb and Tom empathetically. Lily placed a hand on James' elbow but he ripped away from her touch.

"The two of you fell in love once." James told the divorcing couple, "Why would you let reality come between that love?"

"Lily." Eric hissed, "Get your nanny out of here, before he ruins the whole case."

"I'll take care of it." Lily promised, "I'll take care of it, I'll be back."

"Take the rest of the day off Evans." Eric put a hand to his forehead, "I'll see you tomorrow."

She nodded, smiling a huge fake smile, as she pulled James away from the masses. Harry followed quietly, staring at his shoes. Once the elevator doors had closed she rounded on James after covering Harry's ears so Harry could hear her.

"What the Hell is wrong with you James? Do you want me to lose my _job_?"

"Me?" he was still astonished, "What did I do, Evans? You're the one allowing those people to separate from each other forever, _married_ people."

Lily pressed her hands harder against Harry's ears as she argue with James, "Those people are in real pain and you almost fucked everything up because you had to go all _crazy_ fairytale on me again!"

James threw his hands up theatrically, "They're going to be separated _forever_. Married one day and the next they're not! Their entire relationship wiped from existence. God, does that not _bother_ you?"

"Should it?" Lily shouted back, huffing.

"Yes!" James bellowed back, "It should make you mad, angry and bloody _frustrated_!"

Lily didn't bother answering as the elevator doors opened and she stormed onto the streets, feeling madder than she'd ever been in her entire life. Harry followed both Lily and James, his feet dragging against the ground as they fought. James took Harry's hand so Harry wouldn't follow him mum to the edge of the sidewalk.

"Harry told me about the accident yesterday." James' voice was partially level again, "Not a scratch on him. Ever wonder hwo that happened?"

"Don't bring up mag—"

"Magic." James snorted as he cut her off, "Lily, a small part of you has to realize that something is wrong."

"Nothing was wrong until you ceremoniously fell into out laps!"

"Nothing was wrong?" James countered, "Evans, you can't stay inside that shell of yours forever!"

Lily groaned in frustration ands stomped the sidewalk, "Look James, I can't handle this."

"I can't handle this either!" James still had a hold of Harry who also looked close to tears because of the fighting adults, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry you think this," he gestured around them, "is your reality. Have you ever wondered why Harry can turn cats purple? Haven't you ever wondered why you don't feel normal?"

"Look, James," Lily said pityingly, "I know you want to—I know you think these people and magic is real but—"

"I don't think, I know." James debated.

"I know what it's like to be disappointed by someone," Lily deviated quickly, "It's tempting to believe in fairytales because then hey, maybe you'll get happily ever after one day too, eh?"

James rolled his eyes, "My world is fairytale, Lily. My world is the same world you live in—but with magic."

"Know what? I don't know if you're kidding or being ironic, because magic isn't real."

James scoffed, "Well, not _here_ it doesn't."

Lily ran her fingers through her hair, "James, your magical world is built on your trauma of losing your wife."

"Why do you keep saying that?"

"Because I deal with this _every_ day at work." Lily said, "People separate. If a relationship has issues at the beginning, it doesn't get any better. You lost your wife and kid in a stressful disaster and now you're stuck in some alternate reality to try and make yourself feel better!"

"I'm not _stuck_ in some alternate reality." James growled, "My wife was cursed to this world and she is waiting for me to wake her up."

"James, I don't think so. No."

"Yes!"

"I have to disagree. No."

"No?"

"No."

He half laughed, letting go of Harry's hand to step forward and poke a finger into her chest accusingly, "Is that the only word that you know? No?"

"No!" Lily scoffed, her face red as their eyes stared each other down.

James poked her again, "Oh, yeah? No."

"No." then she realized her mistake as he let out a dramatic snicker.

"No! No! Over and over again!" James illuminated, "Every word out of your mouth is "no"! It makes me so...Sometimes you make me so..."

"I make you so what?" Lily stepped forward, pressing her hands into his chest and pushing him back angrily, "What's wrong James?"

"You make me so...so...angry!"

James ripped at his hair and turned away from her. Lily hadn't realized how closely they'd been standing. How much she was aware of his body being only a touch away. Lily saw his shoulders were shaking.

"James," she whispered, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean…I meant to just say…"

A little voice piqued up, "I'm hungry."

"Sorry Mate." James dropped away from Lily's touch rapidly to bend down and smile at Harry, "What'cha feeling?"

After James promised to get Harry pasta and they made their way up the street to the closest store, Lily chewed on her lower lip. James kept his hand in Harry's hand. Side-by-side there was no way she couldn't see what everyone else did. Harry and James were perfect copies of each other. If Lily had any memories of the night she'd gotten pregnant, she'd imagine the man looked similar to the bloke raving on about curses in front of her.

That night, after James had left and Lily was tucking Harry into bed Harry asked sleepily, "Mummy why don't you believe James?"

Lily paused from kissing his forehead to consider him, "Well," she said softly, "I don't believe in magic."

"Why not?" Harry asked, hugging his teddy.

Lily shrugged, "I've never seen magic, have you?"

Harry eyed her uneasily, "James says magic can't always be seen."

Lily tore her gaze away from her son, "Did he?" she thought of the messy haired man and his charming smirk.

Harry nodded as she reached over him to turn out his lamp, "James says that's why you don't believe him, because a magic curse is blocking you from seeing more magic."

Lily hummed, "Goodnight Harry."

She didn't miss his unmistakable, "I want to be a wizard like James."

As Lily closed the door to Harry's bedroom she felt a moan rip through her chest and the lamplight overhead flickered. The flickering made the hallway seem hazy and Lily's eyes were watering as she remembered her argument with James in the streets. She remembered his face when he realized she wasn't a doctor. She remembered his look of betrayal when she'd explained what a divorce attorney was for.

It was like he was so damaged from losing his wife and son that the thought of any family separating drew a lot of emotional rage from him. Part of her pitied James for whatever he'd gone through but another part of her wondered what the actual story behind James' wife was.

Lily wondered if the wife and son were still alive.

Lily wondered what could've shaken James up so badly that he pretended they were alive and under a witches spell.

All in all, James seemed like a good man. He clearly cared for Harry and was working for Lily for free to take care of him. James always had a smile ready for Lily and he had gotten Harry to open up a little bit.

Plus, no matter how angry Lily was about James filling Harry's head with fantasy…she couldn't deny the unspoken flicker of attraction between them when she got to close to him. It was like every time she got near James, her world was turned upside down and she didn't know how to manage all the emotions fluttering through her mind.

* * *

 **Thank you for being so patient waiting for this update! I am in the middle of moving-should be all back to normal once a week updates by the first of year or earlier depending on lots of different factors. Love all of you and I'm so happy everyone is enjoying my take on Enchanted!**

 **xxx**

 **Petals**


	8. Two Worlds One Family

**8**

 **Two worlds; one family**

The side of the street was covered in old and soggy leaves. Overhead, the sky was grey and overcast. A misty fog had rolled into the small town from the shore and it was thick enough to keep James from feeling the need to pull out his invisibility cloak to hide himself from the passerby. He sat with his feet propped on the chair opposite where Sirius happened to be sitting and smoking a cig. Across from them, Marlene McKinnon's eyes were scanning through the hazy mist with Remus standing over the table shivering in his old jacket.

James was talking about Harry and how amazing his kid was, as it was all Sirius really cared about. It killed Sirius as much as it killed James to be away from Lily and Harry. Lily was Sirius' self-adopted sister and being Harry's godfather was Sirius' pride and joy.

"He fell out of a tree the other day-not even a scratch!"

"Atta boy!" Sirius beamed.

"Would you two shut up?"

James and Sirius looked up from their conversation to see Marlene across the table, glaring at them relentlessly. Sirius and James shrugged at her mood and continued talking, much to her chagrin.

"So Harry is showing accidental magic and Lily's just ignoring it?" Remus asked worriedly from beside Marlene.

"She's still stubborn as Hell." James said fondly of his wife and Sirius smirked.

"It's stupid how much you love her, dork." Sirius ruffled James' hair like they were kids again and James shoved his touched away with a snort.

"I did marry her."

"I still maintain you should've married me."

"Seriously you lot _shove_ it." Marlene kicked underneath the table and both boys glared at her only to see her eyes were trained on the other side of the street, "I think we found our man."

James and Sirius perked up, eyes following Marlene's subtle point to a bar across the street from where they were pretending to have lunch. A man had exited the bar and was wearing a long black cloak. The most noticeable thing about the man was the snake tattoo pattern on his bald, it wrapped like a turban around his skin. James' mouth formed a thin line and next to James, Sirius pulled his wand halfway out of his robes.

"That's him." Remus agreed in a low voice, " _That's_ the man I heard use Peter's nickname underground."

Sirius stood up without thought, "Back me up."

Remus came to stand protectively beside Sirius, "We go together."

"Marlene and I will hide from view." James said.

James and Marlene stood close to each other as James whipped out his invisibility cloak. The soft fabric fell over his and Marlene's head. Sirius walked ahead confidently, following the snake man at a safe distance. Remus had told them about information he'd heard underground about someone who called himself the Informer, someone who could get purebloods in touch with some of the old Ministry members including a man named Wormtail. Wormtail had been Peter's nickname in school and Remus was positive the man worked for Peter and Umbridge.

They followed the man behind some buildings and down an old dirt road that led into an old cavern covered in paint tags. Up ahead, Sirius was dodging through the shadows stealthily as a dog with Remus posing as the owner.

Their man slid through the caverns, his large feet tapping against the ground, echoing and covering any sound from his trackers. James felt Marlene reach for her wand just as they came upon an opening in the rock. The opening led into a dark space bursting with light from small stands selling illegal substances like dragon breath and unicorn blood.

"This place is _crawling_ with dark wizards." Marlene hissed into James' ear, "Wait until I get back to the ministry and tell the Aurors."

"As if they don't probably move locations every night." James hissed back.

"Killjoy." Marlene pinched his side.

The man they were following slipped between a pair of carts and into a tent strung with shrunken heads. The entire place was disgusting and James thought he stepped in days old shite as Sirius slunk away into a darkened corner where he changed back from his dog form and into human form. James and Marlene threw off the invisibility cloak when they stood beside him in the darkened corner. Remus stayed a little ways ahead, keeping watch.

"Are we following him into that tent?" Marlene asked, "Because either James or I is bound to be recognized by someone around these parts."

"I'll go in the tent." Sirius rubbed his hands together, "nobody cares about a reject pureblood."

"If you go, I go." James grabbed Sirius' arm when he tried to walk to the tent alone, "If they try to attack—"

"It's better me dead than you." Sirius replied, pushing James back towards Marlene.

" _I'll_ go with Sirius." Remus volunteered, stepping forward, "A werewolf has more power in the sewers."

"Be carful." James begged his friends, not knowing what he'd do if he lost them too.

Marlene was business as usual, "If that snake even gets a _hint_ you work for the Ministry, get out fast."

"Yeah, yeah." Sirius shoved his hands in his pockets and rolled his eyes at Marlene, "Calm yourself McKinnon, we'll be careful."

James and Marlene watched from the shadows with bated breath as Remus and Sirius entered the tent with tight shoulders. They could hear talking but couldn't make out any of the words being said.

"I hate this." Marlene hissed, "They're going in blind."

"Everything about this I hate." James hissed back, "Why couldn't Umbridge have kept the pensives at the Ministry?"

"Your guess is as good as mine."

James leaned over the side of the wall and glanced at the tent worriedly. All of a sudden Sirius and Remus came out sporting angry looks, flanked by the man with the snake tattoos.

"And stay out of here, mongrels!" Snake-Man pointed his wand into Sirius' back.

It was enough to set Sirius off, "Calm down git, we're leaving."

"What did you call me?" Snake-Man roared, sparks fluttering from his wand.

"Fuck Sirius, no." James moaned as Marlene swooped around and pointed her wand at the man threatening Sirius.

"We were just leaving," Remus tried to cut in and make the situation less threatening but everything about Sirius screamed 'threat'.

"You're not going anywhere," Snake-Man raised his wand and Sirius pun, wand also aimed for a strike.

That's when a short and balding man entered the equation from a stall selling dragons breath. He was wearing an old suitrobe and a grey tie. James recognized the man immeaditly but it was too late, the man, Peter Pettigrew had zoomed in on Sirius and Remus. After seven years of living together at school, Peter could've picked any of them out of a crowd. Peter's eyes zeroed in on the shadows and James froze like a deer in the headlights. Peter watery blue eyes widened and his wand rose.

"Fuck!" James cursed, turning to Marlene, "Peter spotted us! He knows!"

"Go!" Marlene shoved her hand into James' pocket and threw the invisibility cloak over his head, "Go to Lily and Harry! Peter probably knows where they are and keeps tabs…"

James didn't need any more convincing, he twirled his wand in the air and reappeared on a quaintly lit street in London. The cloak felt like it was suffocating James and he ripped the fabric off in haste. The world around him was bright and still as compared to the grotto he'd just apparated himself out of. A part of James was worried about his friends dealing with dark wizards but currently; the only thing he cared about was Lily and Harry.

James' heart was still racing but it slowed as he walked up to Lily's front door. He could hear music drifting from one of the cracked windows and when he knocked on the door, harry answered with a bright smile and white flour all over his body. James' heart raced forward again, but this time entirely because he was so happy to see his son so joyful.

"James!" Harry declared jubilantly, "Your back!"

"Hey bud!" James got down to Harry's level and ruffled Harry's black hair, "How are you?"

"Great!" Harry showed James his white fingers, "Mummy and I are baking."

James sniffed the air for burning food, "Your mother can bake?"

In all their years together, James had been the cook in the family. Lily was partial to potions not pot roast. Lily came around the corner wearing a white apron over her clothes. She was wearing a pretty sundress and James was knocked off his feet by how gorgeous she was each time he saw her again.

"James!" Lily said animatedly, "I didn't know you were coming today."

"Last minute choice." James tried to keep his voice level, "I wanted to make sure you didn't need any help with Harry."

"I meant to call you and tell you that Harry wasn't feeling well this morning so I stayed home from work." Lily smiled kindly, "I didn't have your number though."

James itched his hair and smiled darkly, "I suppose I don't make it easy to communicate." James looked at Harry, "You feeling better mate?"

Harry nodded, cheeks flushed, "I am now, I just had a accident."

"An accident?" James furrowed his brow and Harry flushed further.

"It doesn't matter." Lily wrapped her arms around Harry and kissed his cheek, "Listen James, I'm glad you're here."

James perked up, "You are?"

All of a sudden, having Lily say those words, made the urgency of his arrival slim. Lily tucked her red hair behind her ear and her red lips curved into a smile at his similar grin.

"I wanted to get you your paycheck for watching Harry."

"What?"

Lily repeated gently, "I wanted to pay you for watching Harry."

James quickly fought with her, "You don't have to pay me."

"Of course I do." She reasoned, "You've been _very_ kind, helping me with him."

"I don't want your money." James said seriously.

Lily crossed her arms, "Then what do you want?"

James just stood there. What did he want? James wanted a lot of things. He wanted his wife back. He wanted the kid on the steps to know that his father was standing there, wishing for nothing more than to wrap the both of them up in a huge hug. He wanted his family.

"How about dinner." James offered instead, "Get out of the house?"

"Dinner?" Lily tilted her head, "You want dinner?"

"I'm staving." James lied, "Lets go out! Get to know each other."

Lily stared at him, "You're acting weird."

Harry tugged at James' robes and James looked down at his son who spoke up, "This morning I had a nightmare…"

Lily quickly cut in, "You know what James, we're just about to order pizza but I think we should go out instead..."

"Yes!" Harry looked as if Christmas had been announced a day early and ran off yelling, "I'll get my coat!"

Lily lachewed on her bottom lip and watched Harry race away from James. James stood up straight and crossed his arms.

"I heard you're baking?"

"Want a cookie?"

James hesitated, "Erm…"

Lily laughed, "I can't bake for shite." She frowned, "But I'm trying."

"What happened?" James asked, "Why didn't Harry go to school?"

Lily swallowed thickly and James could tell by the look on her face that she was struggling not to sound emotional, "He had a nightmare."

"A nightmare?" James stepped up so that he and Lily were eye-level. She shrugged away his concern and stared at her feet.

"He has them from time to time," she told James, "But this time when he woke up screaming one of the windows burst in his bedroom."

"The window broke?" James asked worriedly, "How?"

"I'm not sure." Lily huffed, "But it took me ages to calm him down."

James placed a hand on her shoulder and Lily's eyes shot up to meet his, "I'm sure he's fine." James assured Lily.

"Yeah." She whispered, her eyes searching his in a questioning but not unfriendly way.

Harry came running back down the hall, breaking his parents apart, "I've got my coat! Pizza!"

Lily brought Harry and James to her favorite pizza joint that was right down the street from her flat. James was half paying attention to the way Lily and Harry walked downt he street hand in hand and half looking for any suspicious figures. Lily noticed James' weird behavior as as the entered the shop, asked if he was ok.

"I'm fine." James promised her, "just looking at the weather."

"It's not supposed to rain today," Lily said, "I watched the news this morning."

"Of course." James said offhandedly, but his eyes scanned the road one more time before the door closed behind him.

He still hadn't heard anything from his mates and it scared him. Lily ordered them a large pizza with cheese. Harry asked their waiter for a glass filled with chocolate milk. James entertained Harry the only way he knew how, with magic. James took off his wedding band and pretended to make it disappear, Harry giggling every time it reappeared.

"Watch very carefully." James showed Harry over and over, the little boy never getting enough.

Harry's eyes were bright green and quivering with excitement, "Oh, do it again! Show me one more time!"

"All right. Last time." James laughed before making the ring reappear, "There you go. There it is."

"You're the coolest wizard in the world!" Harry clapped his hands excitedly and the waiter set the pizza down in front of them.

James slid his ring back on his finger. Out the window, the sun had started to disappear in the west. James half glanced at Lily and smiled when he saw she was absentmindedly stroking her finger's through Harry's hair. She used to run her fingers through James hair in the exact same way. James couldn't tear his eyes away from them together.

"What?" Lily laughed finally when she caught him staring.

"You look very pretty when you smile." He felt like he was fifteen years old again, she was so intimidating.

Lily looked at her lap before muttering, "Thank you."

Harry chewed happily on his pizza, grinning from ear to ear.

"Harry's a great kid. Very kind and very sweet." James told Lily next.

"Yeah." Lily smiled at Harry like he was everything and James tried not to think about how she used to look at him like that, "he's great."

James cleared his throat and worked up the courage to ask what he'd wondered since seeing them again, "Does he miss his father?

"Um..." Lily whispered heartbreakingly, "Well, we just..."

"What?"

"We don't talk about it."

He was disappointed by her answer, "Oh."

"No, no. It's OK." She smiled sadly, "It's just...I don't talk about it...to Harry or to anybody."

"Because it was sad?"

"No."

James pushed Lily probably more than he should have, but he wanted to know, "were you in love?"

Lily shook her head and played with her water glass, "No, it was—it wasn't a long relationship."

Lily couldn't see what James could because he always remained so cautiously oblivious. The candle in front of them was glowing brighter the more the conversation turned emotional. James looked at the flame and then back to his wife, whose green eyes were smoldering like the candle as she stared at him.

Lily said awkwardly, "I didn't always make the best choices."

"It got you Harry, didn't it?"

"Yes, but we had to go through a few years of basically being homeless." Lily enlightened, "Eric met me at a flower shop I worked at and offered me a job when I turned down a few dates because I wasn't ready for a relationship."

"Are you ready for a relationship now?"

"No." Lily said firmly, "I want to be alone."

"That sounds lonely."

"It's better than heartbroken."

"Is it?" James' voice cracked.

Lily smiled kindly at James, "It's OK James. I'm a big girl. I can handle it." She straightened her shoulders, "It's Harry I worry about, though." They both looked at the little boy eating his pizza and coloring into the kid's menu, "I know he's shy. I know he doesn't have very many friends. I just want him to be strong, you know? To be able to face the world for what it is. That's why I don't encourage you telling him those fairy tales."

"They aren't fairy tales."

Lily snorted, "Yeah, well, I forgot whom I was talking to."

"Well, I hope you don't forget." James said warmly, "I _like_ talking to you."

Harry interrupted their conversation by shoving his drawing into Lily's face, "Look mummy!"

"Harry!" Lily congratulated Harry like he'd won a gold medal, "That's a wonderful drawing! I'll put it on the fridge!"

"It's a dog!" harry told James proudly when Lily passed him the parchment Harry had drawn on in crayons.

"Harry wants a dog." Lily told James with eyebrows that told James, Harry was not allowed to have a dog.

"So what about you?" Lily asked James when the silence had floated around them for too long, "Tell me about your wife?"

James stared at her face, so unchanged after the years apart, "there are a lot of complications with that."

"Like finding her?" Lily asked before taking a sip of her water.

James snorted, "No, that was the easy part."

"How so?"

"Because she shines like a bloody star."

Suddenly the door slammed open and a man came stumbling through the door with a wand held aloft in the direction of James and his family. James grabbed his wand from his pockets and jumped up, throwing a shield charm up just as the man sent a stunner Lily's way. James recognized the man by his platinum blonde hair and silver eyes. He'd been one of the guards that worked for Umbridge.

Peter had gotten away and sent news to Umbridge. Lily and Harry weren't safe anymore.

"Long time since prison Potter!" the man laughed as James pushed Harry behind him and whished his wand through the air, "Umbridge'll be happy to hear where to find you and you mudblood wife!"

"Keep my wife out of this Malfoy!" James shouted back, twirling his wand, trying not to show how nervous he was about getting his wife and kid out of the pizza shop alive.

People ran out of the shop covering their heads. Beside James, Lily pulled Harry into her arms and worriedly stared at James.

"What's going on James?" she shouted, "What's happening?"

James couldn't answer her, he was too busy deflecting Malfoy's attempt to hit one of the Potter's with a stunning spell. Glass shattered when Malfoy's curse rebounded and people were running out. Soon only the Potters and Malfoy were left in the pizza shop.

"Stupefy!" James bellowed and his stunner blasted Malfoy off of his feet and onto and over one of the tables abandoned by terrified muggles.

"James!" Lily grabbed his arm, "What is happening?"

James was panting and his glasses ere lopside on his face. He placed his hand in his left hand and grabbed Lily's hand with his right.

"We need to go." He said worriedly, "Now."

Lily yanked her hand from his and stood tall and defiant, "We're not going anywhere until you tell me what I just saw!"

"It was magic momma." Harry whispered in her arms, "James did magic."

"We don't have time to talk right now." James told Lily, taking her hand once more, "Hold on tight."

"Hold on itght?" she exclaimed, "What on—"

James ignored her and held her close to his body, disapperating them out of the pizza shop and to the only safe place he could think of. Their home.

They appeared right in front of the cottage in Godric's Hollow. Lily ripped herself from his grasp once her feet hit the ground and clutched Harry to her side with panic in her eyes.

"Who the bloody _hell_ was that?" Lily shouted at James as Harry cried into her shoulder, "Where are we?!"

"We're at my house."

"Your house!" Lily exclaimed, "What the Hell is going on?"

James tried to explain, "That man works for the witch who cursed my wife."

"Curses. Witches. James you can't honestly believe that shite!"

James' blood was boiling and he couldn't not fight with her, "How can you be so—Lily we just fucking disappeared from a pizza shop to a street and you can't believe in witches?!"

"Don't curse in front of my kid!"

"You just did!" James pointed his wand at her and she eyed it warily, "You can't see what's right in front of your eyes Lil! Magic is real! My stories are real!"

Lily's mouth opened and closed, finding ways to figure out how to get the last word, as per usual, "You were in prison! You never told me that!"

"It wasn't _prison_!" James spat sourly, "I was put into exile for seven years so that I couldn't find my wife after she was exiled from magic!"

Lily placed Harry on the ground and glared at James as she struggled to quiet Harry, "Are you mad? You sound like something out of a novel, this is real life! Your wife is either gone for good or doesn't exist and I'm struggling to figure out what made you this way!"

James stepped forward and felt tears prick his eyes, "I—you don't even know!"

Lily drew back, tears in her eyes too, "I'm not the one you're looking for. I wish I were James, because for some odd reason I like you, but James I'm _not_ her. I'm sorry."

James felt his heart race at her words, "You feel something for me?"

Lily clutched Harry harder, "I don't know."

James ran his fingers through his hair, "Well," he said somewhat coldly, "I know you don't believe in magic but the man in the pizza shop won't be the last one."

"What happened back there?" Lily asked, "Why are we at your home?"

James licked his lips, "They'll know about your flat in London. This is where you and Harry will be safe."

"James, I have my job." Lily pleaded, "I can't stay here."

James told her coldly, "You've got to understand that there are people out there who want to hurt you and Harry."

"But why." Lily stated firmly, "Why?"

"That's the question we've all been asking ourselves tonight Evans."

James looked over Lily's shoulder and he almost sighed in relief when he saw who had spoken. Sirius, Remus, and Marlene were walking up to them unscathed except for a few cuts and bruises. Lily saw his expression and turned, her hair whipping her in the cheek as she did so.

James saw the same look flash across Remus and Sirius' faces that flashed across his when he first saw Lily but when she spoke to them directly their faces dropped, "Who're you lot?"

* * *

 **I freaking love you guys for being so patient with my move! I finally got internet today! Yay! Be prepared for ALL THE FICS.**

 **xxx**

 **Petals**


	9. Journey To The Past

9

 _Knew there was somebody somewhere like me, alone in the dark_

 _Now I know my dream will live on_

 _I've been waiting so long,_

 _Nothings going to tear us apart_

"Who're you lot?"

No one answered her direct question. The man leading the threesome looked like he'd seen a ghost, his face was white. Her heart was beating fast, just like it had when she saw James for the first time. Lily's fingers twitched as she waited for someone to say something. Finally, behind her, James spoke.

"Sirius—"

The one supposedly called Sirius cut over James, "Lily?"

"Yeah?"

Sirius looked at Lily like James had when they first met and it made Lily's stomach feel like a brick had grown in it. He looked at her like she meant something to him. He looked at Lily like she was someone he knew from a dream. Lily tucked her red hair behind her ear and stood under his gaze. Sirius' hair was as black as James' only it fell in an elegant way she was sure James could ever accomplish. Lily stared at his black robes in question and that's when she realized that all the adults around her were wearing robes...even the girl hanging back from the group.

"Is this some sort of cult?" Lily tried to sound brave but she was shocked, "Why are you all in those robes?"

Sirius took a step forward and Lily stood taller, making Sirius stop in his tracks like she'd stung him.

"It's Sirius." Sirius said, grey eyes soft, "Sirius Black."

Lily shook her head as she clutched Harry behind her, "I don't—"

"She doesn't know us anymore."

A boy beside Sirius in shabby greying robes ogled Lily like she might disappear.

Lily confirmed, "I've _never_ known you."

Shabby Robes flinched, "Umbridge sure did a number on her."

Lily (getting no answers from the new arrivals) turned her head to James and was about to threaten to go to the police when Harry stepped out from around from his mother's legs. Sirius gasped and the girl hanged behind the boys even perked up with interest. James' mates literally lit up at the sight of Harry wrapped around his mother's stomach. Harry shyly tucked his head into his mum so that only one eye peered at the strangers.

Sirius knelt down to Harry's height and looked like he was about to cry. Shabby Robes stayed back. He was seemingly anxious of upsetting Harry who was staring at the strange men with apprehensive eyes. Harry turned his head a bit more to look at the one called Sirius.

"He looks just like you Prongs, except the eyes," Sirius said favorably, "he has Lily's eyes."

"Harry," James spoke up, gaining the attention of Lily's son, who he'd apparently been brain washing while babysitting, "These are my friends. They're also wizards."

Harry peeked at Sirius again, "Can you do magic like James?"

"Better than James." Lily thought she heard Sirius' voice catch emotionally.

Lily was too exasperated to care about the emotional grown man in front of her and her son, " _what_ is going on?"

"Momma," Harry tugged on her dress and Lily looked down at her son, feeling feint, "I think my stomach hurts."

"Oh, baby." Lily got down to her knees and brushed Harry's hair from his eyes lovingly, "Are you hurt?" she started checking him for bruises or scrapes.

"It'll be the side-along apparition." James spoke up from beside Lily; "It's always a rush the first time."

Lily had no idea what 'side-along apparition' was and she didn't care. She felt Harry's forehead and it was a little warm. His little fingers were blue from the chilly dusk temperatures. Lily turned her head to look at James worriedly.

"Now look what you've done, Harry's freezing!"

James held up two hands in defense, "Sorry for not grabbing his jacket when we were being _attacked_."

Lily huffed, "Don't go making excuses." She mumbled as she rubbed Harry's arms, "Take us back home."

"You can't go back to your old flat." Sirius looked amused by her arguing with James.

"And why not?"

"Peter and the others will know where to find you."

"I already told her that." James said ostentatiously, "She doesn't understand."

"Harry will be safer here." Sirius said gently to Lily, grey eyes mollifying.

"How do you know Harry?" Lily hugged her little boy to her chest.

Something flashed across Sirius' face before he said simply, "I was there at Harry's birth. You made me Godfather."

"I don't remember you in the hospital when I was giving birth." Lily said coldly, "In fact, no one was there. I was alone, the nurses were the _only_ ones who cared what happened to me and my baby."

"I cared." James muttered, sullen.

Lily caught his tone and shook her head quickly, "oh no," she rounded on James "don't tell me you think you were there too. You don't still believe I'm your missing wife!"

"Why the Hell would I keep coming back in your life if I didn't think otherwise?" James snapped back.

"Because you're a stalker?" Lily mouthed nastily.

James snorted, " _You're_ the one who tried to have your friend at your office to a background check on me."

"Because _you_ wouldn't leave me alone."

"Because _you_ wouldn't listen to me."

The man in shabby robes said almost happily, "I never thought I'd actually miss their fighting."

"I know." Sirius chuckled as Lily and James glared at each other passionately.

"Listen," Lily was beyond aggravated and stood up with her hand on Harry's head, "I appreciate the theatrics people, but I've got to get home. I have work in the morning."

"You _are_ home." Sirius said, "doesn't any of this look familiar?"

"It wouldn't."

Everyone's eyes shifted to the woman who'd been hanging behind the group. She had her brown hair cut short to her shoulders and her eyes were sharp, like a bird. She looked like she had not a single thought on her mind but competence. Harry hid behind Lily's legs again as the woman spoke dryly.

"Umbridge has her all Lily's magical memories stored in the pensieve. You know that nothing can get the memories back except putting them back ourselves."

"Oh for gods sake." Lily crossed her arms, "I didn't lose _any_ memories."

"Well you don't remember me, your devilishly charming best man and confidant." Sirius deadpanned, "So your memories are _definitely_ gone."

"I've never met any of you before!"

"Correction." The man next to Sirius said, "you've met all of us, save for Marlene. She was a few years ahead of us at school."

Marlene waved gracelessly from behind Sirius, "nice to meet you, your husband never shuts up about you." The sharp woman then turned her eyes on James in accusation, "Why did you bring a non-recovered victim and her son here, Potter?! Are you daft?! As if you haven't confused them enough already, you want them to see what used to be and confuse them more?"

"Marlene, one of the old Secretarial Members tracked us." James came around Lily and Harry, almost like he was shielding them from Marlene, "The idiot _tried_ to take Lily and Harry but I got us out of there intact."

"Word got out fast." Sirius muttered angrily, "Pettigrew no doubt."

"Where is the little git?" James asked venomously, a tone Lily had never heard from him and it surprised her enough to drop her arms from their crossed stance.

"Good question."

"You _lost_ him?"

"Not exactly." Marlene expressed, "we tracked him to that old pub up Broadstreet by The Leaky Cauldron."

Sirius said bitterly, "Peter disappeared the minute he got inside, he likely transformed but before I could find every rat in the building, we were kicked out by the bartender who must be a friend to the Umbridge brigade."

"Don't worry James," the tall Shabby one saw the look of panic cross James' face as the same time as Lily, "He can't get far. Marlene had his poster plastered on every inch of the Ministry of Magic."

James whined and ran his fingers through his hair, pulling at the roots like he had a headache. Lily almost stepped forward to place a hand on his shoulder when she remembered that it was his fault they were standing in the middle of the road in the first place.

"We're going to go back as soon as we have a way to get in." The woman said almost kindly to James, "You have a batch of polyjuice potion in the cottage we can use."

Lily watched as Sirius slung an arm around James, comforting him, "we'll get her back James." Lily didn't miss the way Sirius' grey eyes flashed to her worriedly, "And throw Peter in Azkaban on every charge Marlene can get."

"Harry's shivering."

Lily jumped and looked to her left, the man in the shabby clothes was speaking to her. He was near her, but not near enough to cause alarm. Lily wondered what made him keep his distance so self-consciously spaced.

"Yeah well James left his jacket is at the pizza shop." Lily said, shooting James a glare.

James threw up his hands in frustration with Lily, "We didn't exactly have time to—I mean _seriously_ Lil?"

Harry was shivering as he clung to his mum and he looked tired, probably from all the excitement. Lily knew that there was no way the experience tonight with James _wouldn't_ trigger Harry's nightmares. The man, seemingly concerned about Harry, looked at Lily apprehensively.

"It'll be warmer inside." He offered, "We can all talk away from the street."

"Good point Remus," Sirius had heard their communication and played them, "Anyone could be listening in, lets get inside where it's safe."

James seemed to agree because he reached out his hand for Lily to take. Lily had half a mind to slap his hand away immaturely.

"Come on Evans." Sirius motioned to Lily and she stared at the strange man incredulously.

"I'm not going anywhere with you lot." Lily snorted, "You're all mad!"

Everyone stared at Lily like she'd grown two heads. The one named Remus took a far step away from Lily and Harry. James looked fatigued and disheartened as he shrugged at his confused friends.

"I told you she's been stubborn."

"You literally just watched James get into a duel with another wizard…" Sirius spoke evenly, "And you aren't even a little bit into believing that you might be a witch?"

"I don't give a flying crack about _any_ of this."

Sirius looked determined, "you'll give a _flying crack_ once you look inside that cottage." James sighed and placed a hand on Sirius' shoulder, "Don't bother Sirius, she doesn't believe in magic."

"She'll believe me when I send a stinging hex her way." Sirius snarled, stuffing his (wand?) into his pocket and stepping forward towards Lily who took a step back, intimidated suddenly by the handsome man. "Inside Lily," Sirius said directly to her, "this is an intervention."

"An intervention?" Lily asked.

"You don't believe James?" Sirius said, "You don't believe in magic?"

"No!"

"But mummy," Harry looked up at Lily with bright green eyes, "James magicked us here."

"Harry's right Lily, magic got you here." Sirius deadpanned, "You literally disappeared from a pizza shop in London to a street in Godric's Hollow."

"We flew with James, Momma." Harry said, wrinkling his nose at her.

"Harry, be quiet."

"Harry, don't be quiet."

Lily glowered at Sirius, "Are you stupid? Don't talk to my kid."

The man didn't shy away from her death glare, "I'm his godfather, now get inside the damn house before I throw you over my shoulder like we're back in bloody school."

Lily stared at the cottage apprehensively. Something inside of her kept telling her to take a breath and dive in but another part of her tugged at her heartstrings, keeping her feet firmly planted to the ground. James ignored Lily now and instead focused on Harry.

"Come on mate," James held out a hand to Lily's son, "I've got some blankets and hot stew inside."

"Harry don't you dare." Lily whispered as Harry pulled away from her at the slightest sign of friendliness from James, "what are you doing?"

"I trust James." Harry said stubbornly, placing his hand in James' outstretched one.

"Atta boy!" James beamed at Harry, "show your mum what Potters are made of."

Harry, encouraged by the bad influence, tore himself from James and Lily's grip. Lily felt a lurch in her throat as she watched harry run up the pathway like he'd grown up in the cottage. His little fingers grasped the door to the inside. Lily raced after Harry helplessly but it was too late, Harry disappeared into the house.

Lily stopped dead when her feet hit the rug in front of the door. It smelled like cinnamon and cloves inside. Goosebumps rose on her skin as she stepped over the foothold and her eyes took in her surroundings hesitantly. Lily turned her head to her left and her breath hitched in her throat.

" _Impossible_."

She had to blink three times. There, on the wooden cottage walls, dressed up in mismatched frames and the like, were pictures of Lily. There were pictures of Lily and James. There were pictures with Sirius and Remus. There were pictures of Lily and James with a baby that looked suspiciously like the little boy who also stared at the wall in awe like his mum.

Lily felt like she'd been punched in the gut.

 _What was going on?_

How was it even possible for James to make all the photos so real? Lily lingered on one of the photos where people clad in maroon surrounded her on a sofa. They were all smiling at the camera and waving— _actually_ waving.

Harry had spotted what Lily did at the same time, "Momma these pictures _move_ like movies."

"Where did these come from?" she whispered.

Another voice broke through her reverie, "Remus take Harry for stew." It was James, "I want to talk to Lily alone."

Behind Lily, she heard the door close and someone passed her, offering a hand to fascinated Harry. Lily didn't even flinch as Marlene and Remus led Harry away from the wall of photos. She watched them disappear through a door that led to a room filled with the sound of clanking plates. Lily turned back to the wall of photos.

The wall was filled with colors of a world she was desperate to understand and the colors created a haze in front of Lily's eyes. A tear slid down one of Lily's cheeks and her eyes took in all the portraits of times she didn't recollect. She watched, in one picture, as her visualized self leaned over to kiss James Potter flat on the mouth.

She saw the smirk when the kiss ended.

She felt the sting of dismissal she'd been giving James for weeks.

In front of the door, on a table that held two brightly colored vases, there was a silver printed frame slightly dusted over. In the frame was a photograph of Lily much younger than the other photos. Lily picked up the frame with trembling hands. There was no way the picture could be fake. She'd seen herself in a mirror at thirteen. Gawky, tall, and all freckles. Next to Lily in the photograph was James looking just as gawky, if more.

James' voice sounded from behind her as she stared at the photo, "That's the first picture we ever took together. You'd gotten a new camera for Christmas and demanded to get a picture with everyone in our house."

Lily's fingers scratched across the glass and she spun, her eyes wide as she stared at the man who was in photographs of her past. A man she didn't remember. A man who stared at her like she was everything he ever needed. She didn't' remember a time anyone ever looked at her like _James_ looked at her.

"I _still_ don't remember." She informed him, shoulder shaking, "I don't know you." Her eyes looked back at the photograph, "But I want too."

"I know." He whispered pleadingly, "I know, but I swear to Merlin, Lily, I'm going to get your memories back."

Lily swallowed thickly, "this can't be real." She panicked, "James what's really going on. Please" she begged, "let Harry and I go, I'm scared. I—"

In her panic the frame slipped from her fingers and before she could shriek about broken glass or anything…she didn't know _how_ but inches from the floor the frame flew back into her hand.

"Magic." James looked euphoric, "Lily, your magic is showing."

Lily placed the frame in the counter desperately shaking her head, "I'm not magic. I'm not this girl. I don't _want_ to be her."

James seemed startled by her reaction, "And why not?" he was offended, "What so bad about this life?" he gestured to the pictures on the walls, "What's scary about a family who loves you?"

"I was fine before you came along!" Lily cried, "Harry and I were _fine_."

"No you were not!" James snarled back, " Harry's started to show accidental magic _months_ ago Lily and it scared you, just like your own magic does now! You didn't used to be that way!"

"I'm not this girl! I don't remember!"

"I remember!" James placed his hands on her shoulders as she stood there shaking, "I remember you used to make potions in the kitchen when you were supposed to be doing the dishes! You used to dream up little charms and you used to practice them right in that living room over there. You used to call Harry love and you…I remember when you used to call me _yours_."

"This is too much James," she pleaded, "I want to go back to—not here—anywhere but this place."

"I can't let you leave me sight until you have your memories back, I can't lose you again."

Lily turned to face James and felt tears slipping out of her eyes. She felt lost, even when looking into his hazel eyes, so full of life.

James whispered so that only she could hear, "you can't pretend you don't feel something for me Lily. You can't say that you would've let some Joe Schmoe off the street watch Harry, from the moment you met me, you _knew_ something was wrong."

"Yeah, I knew you were crazy!" Lily rubbed her eyes and leaned against the wall in despair, "I should've never listened to you!"

James actually laughed and shook his head, " You had no choice did you? You took one look at Harry and I together and you couldn't split us apart."

"It wasn't like that—" Lily argued half-heartedly, "It wasn't anything like that!"

He took another step forward, " _Bullshite_."

Lily licked her lips and shook her head as his fingers came up to brush the tears from her cheeks. She didn't stop him but she kept her eyes pointed at his shoulder. Lily was thankful harry had been pulled away by the woman in robes—he didn't need to see any of this—even if he could probably hear it.

"It's _not_ bullshite."

James firmly stated, "I bet six galleons that you love me still. Memories or not we were amazing together, Lily, a dream team. I know that no memory swipes could take _that_ away. You're still you deep down. You just need to be woken up."

Lily saw that their noses were almost touching and she waited, just as James pressed his lips against hers. She made a sound and was about to push him off when his fingers tucked under her chin. It was like muscle memory. It was like riding a bike. It was like a hazy freeze frame of a little world where even strangers made sense.

It was love in a way she'd never experienced.

What if she _did_ love him?

"You know I love you." He murmured against her lips, "Lily please-"

"I've never had anyone but Harry say they loved me." Lily was flustered by the look in his eyes, so overwhelming, "I've never looked for love. I've never wanted to fall in love. I was happy alone."

"You don't want to be alone. No one wants to be alone, not really." James said, "Sirius loves you! Remus loves you. I love you."

"Take me home." She said hastily as he leaned his forehead against hers, "I don't love you."

"If you don't love me," James whispered, "Why are you holding onto me?"

Lily looked down and saw her firsts were clenched into his robes, keeping him attached to her in the most intimate way. Lily swallowed thickly and dropped her grip, shaking her head as she stepped far away from James Potter's knowing stare.

"I need some air."

"Lily, wait!"

Someone else asked, "James take a break, I'll go talk to her, make sure Marlene doesn't injure Harry. She's trying to swaddle him to death in blankets in the sitting room."

Lily heard someone follow her out the door. She wrapped her arms around herself and sobbed. The cottage door shut behind her. A hand touched her shoulder.

"Go away."

"Nah," He whispered, "you need your best friend right now."

Lily turned her cheek to see Sirius smiling with a gentle look. His hand was firm on her shoulder. His touch was keeping her trapped _and_ steady. A biting combination since she'd only just met him. Unless she went by the photographs on the walls inside the house where she happily draped her arms around the strange men.

"You know," he startled slowly, "James doesn't always think before he acts, he's probably already kicking himself for kissing you." Lily didn't answer and Sirius took that as a sign that she wasn't wholly livid, "He loves the woman in our memories."

"I'm not that woman."

"Not right now." He said, "But you will be."

"Why do you all believe this?"

"Why don't you?"

"Because it's not real."

"That's the cursed memories talking to you," He said, "Umbridge rigged them pretty well with help of Pettigrew. Most people flat out refused our help until their memories were returned."

Lily tilted her head, "What do you mean _most_ people?"

"You aren't our first rescue mission." Sirius illuminated, "we've been reuniting memories with wizards and witches for _months_ now."

"There are more people?" Lily braided her red hair awkwardly.

"Hundreds."

"Do they believe you?"

"Not at first."

"So you kidnap them and their children?"

"You're just a special case." Sirius winked at her glower, "Umbridge was Hell bent on keeping James away from you after James helped bring down the empire she built."

"Who is this woman everyone keeps talking about?"

"A fat little bitch that took it upon herself to finish the ideas of darker wizards before her." Sirius sniffed.

"What?" Lily struggled to comprehend Sirius' stories.

Sirius explained best as he could, "She's a immoral witch who ripped apart families she deemed not worthy because they weren't all pureblood."

"Purebloods?"

Ever other word that came out of Sirius' mouth sounded made up to Lily, just like it had with James. Lily wiped the last few tears from her cheeks as Sirius continued to try and explain.

"James is a pureblood. So am I. We both come from a magical heritage where as you..." Sirius faltered and Lily's eyes met his, "you are muggleborn. People called your marriage to James unlawful and Umbridge wanted all muggleborns deported. You were hidden very well in this cottage, safe even, and then one of our closest friends betrayed us."

"What does me not being pureblood have to do with my worth?"

"Nothing, to those with an ounce of decency in their bodies." Sirius said, " but Umbridge wasn't decent and you got dragged out of this very cottage to a courtroom where they took all your memories of being a witch and cast you back into the Muggle world."

It was all insane; every word coming out of Sirius' mouth and every idea flying from James' wall of photographs. She knew she'd have to be crazy to accept it and Hell, maybe she was crazy. Lily couldn't doubt the photographs on the wall. She couldn't doubt the magic, no matter how much every bit of Lily was desperate to forget the entire ordeal.

"Believing isn't seeing everything as it is," Sirius seemed to know exactly what she was thinking, "magic is tricky and not even Umbridge can control the way it flows through every pore in your body. Haven't you ever made anything happen? Anything you couldn't explain about Harry?"

The picture frame she'd dropped in the hallway had magically reappeared on the edge of her fingertips. The lights would flicker when she cried back at her flat in London. She can recall every weird case with her son, who turned cats purple and fell out of trees unscathed.

She remembered the intriguing feeling of James' kiss.

Lily's chest felt like it was being squeezed and she was having trouble breathing. Lily pressed her fingertips to her temples and closed her eyes, breathing in deeply. The air was thick and overwhelming.

"He loves me." Lily whispered of James, "And Harry."

"More than anything on this earth." Sirius whispered, "and you love him too, memories or not. I can see it plain as day on your face."

"How?"

"Because it's the same expression you wore when he kissed you summer of our sixth year." Sirius' tone was amused and Lily opened one eye to look at him in question.

"What?"

Sirius shrugged, "you were in denial a pretty long time at sixteen too but James never had to wait long for you to catch up."

Lily heard Sirius' footsteps walk back into the cottage and she sucked in a breath before falling to her knees and staring out at the deserted streets of Godric's Hollow in wonder.

It was impossible, _wasn't it?_ There was no way she could be a witch, no way Harry could be James' son, and no way she wouldn't remember even a tiny glimmer of magic. It was mad to think that she could be married and have a kid with a man she didn't remember. It was wild to stare out at a street she had supposedly crossed man times with harry in her arms and James at her side.

But perhaps the fact that it all seemed mad and impossible and wild…perhaps that's what made Lily believe that it could all be true.

* * *

 **next time:**

"G'night dad."

James froze overtop of Harry's bed and stared at the boy, partially in surprise and partially in awe. James leaned over to kiss Harry's forehead adoringly.

"Goodnight Harry."

James didn't miss the look on Lily's face when he passed by her in the doorway.

* * *

 **let me know what you think! This chapter was fun to write but the next chapter is by-far my favorite! Happy New Year!**

 **xxx**

 **petals**


	10. So Close

9.

 _Oh how could I face the faceless days if I should lose you now_

 _We're so close to reaching that famous happy end_

 _Almost believing this one's not pretend_

 _Lets go on dreaming for we know we are so close_

 _and yet so far..._

Marlene and Remus wasted little time to go finish what they had started. They both set out as soon as polyjuice potion was placed in their mouths, only offering quick goodbyes to the people in the sitting room. Sirius came back into the flat without Lily at his side but James wasn't concerned about her leaving, not while Harry is still inside the house flipping through a picture book by the crackling fire. James stood up from the couch to go out to her but Sirius pressed him back into the cushions with a look.

"Give her time, Prongs, she's just been told she'd married to you." Sirius, as always, wasn't very serious, "Anyone would need time to process _that_."

James jeered at Sirius but did as he was told and stayed sitting. Sirius and James both watched Harry flip through the moving wizarding picture book with wide green eyes.

"You know it's funny." James said softly, "There have been so many nights where I've imagined what bringing Lily home would feel like…this wasn't it."

Sirius sent James a pitying look.

He slapped a hand on James' back comfortingly, "Peter's cornered, Marlene and Remus will get that pensive... have patience."

"Thanks Padfoot." James ruffled his black hair before getting down on the floor and crawling over to Harry to lie down next to his son, "What'cha reading mate?"

Harry turned his eyes to James with wild enthusiasm, "Did you know these pictures _move_?"

James laughed and pointed at one picture of the character flying on a broomstick, "Did you know you could really fly on broomsticks?"

Harry was automatically eager, "Can we go fly one? Oh please! _Please_!"

James glanced back at Sirius who shrugged and said, "It's your funeral when Lily finds out."

James rolled his eyes before standing up and offering his hand to Harry, "Come on Harry, let's go to the broom shed out back."

Sirius stood up and followed them out of the sitting room with a grin, "I _gotta_ see this—"

James had an idea (a stupid idea considering Lily's reaction to apparating) but an idea nonetheless. James passed Harry's hand off to Sirius. Harry and Sirius looked at each other. Sirius smiled at James' son affectionately. Harry offered Sirius a toothy grin in response.

"Take Harry to the back." James told Sirius, "I'm going to get Lily."

"Come on Harry," Sirius announced, swinging Harry up and into his arms, "Your dad's going to go deal with the devil."

James turned to the front door. He took a deep breath and opened the door to find Lily sitting on the ground cross-legged, eyes closed. His heart dropped in his chest as her beauty once again struck him. The wind blew her hair around her face as she breathed slowly like she was meditating before a big test. If Lily heard the door open behind her, she made no move to find out who had come out of the cottage to talk to her. James knelt down beside Lily and she opened one eye in his direction.

"Are you here to take me back home?"

"No."

Her eye closed, "You can't keep me prisoner."

"I'm not trying." James snorted, "You can leave but Harry's staying with me. I'm not endangering him because of your stubborn stupidity."

That made both of Lily's eyes pop open, "My stupidity?" she said, aghast, " _You're_ the one who waved your stupid wand and got us in this situation!"

James replied tartly, "So you agree with the magic thing then, that it's real?"

"Sure." She replied coolly, "Whatever. Will you leave me alone now?"

"No." James stuck out his hand, "I'm here to take you flying."

"Flying?"

"You used to be rather good at it." James said, "Almost as good as me."

"Almost?"

Lily's eyes were hesitant but he saw a flash of something that looked like his Lily behind the fear inducted by the cursed memories. Her curiosity got the best of her and she took his hand, her fingers interlocking through his. Before he pulled her up he stared at their interlocking fingers, feeling his chest tighten. Once she was up and off the ground he guided her around the house to where Sirius was waiting with Harry in his arms.

"James," she said, "What is going on?"

"Evans!" Sirius said cheerily, "Nice of you to join us again!"

Lily sent Sirius a sneer, "Who put you in charge of my kid?"

"I did." James told her.

"He's got an earring and has a attitude."

"You were with me when I got the earring Evans!" Sirius grinned, " _You_ got your nose pierced."

Lily blinked at Sirius sharply, and not having a comeback, simply said, "Put my kid down, Sirius."

"Nah. Harry likes me, don't you Harry?"

James laughed out loud as Harry nodded and Lily sighed behind him. The backyard was one of James' favorite spots. There was a little table with chairs where they used to eat on particularly nice days. The grass was partially overgrown and it tickled their knees in some spots. A small broom shed sat in the corner and that's where James headed with Lily attached to his hand.

James let go of her hand to unlock the little brown shed and pull out one of his prized possessions, his _cleansweep 70_. The wooden grip was soft due to constant use in Quidditch games at Hogwarts. James had taken many flights on the broom and was attached to it even though he had a better model. Lily used to steal the broom when they were dating and go for short flights; she'd always loved to fly.

Not anymore.

When James turned to face Lily with the broomstick her face was uneasy.

"Don't tell me—"

James slung one leg around the broomstick as Lily objected wholeheartedly with petrified eyes. James grinned at her tense persona and patted the wood behind him favorably.

"Hop on Evans."

"You can't be serious." She deadpanned.

"Go mummy!" Harry cheered from Sirius' arms, "Go!"

Lily looked back at Harry with a frown before turning back to James quickly, as if afraid he'd sweep her off her feet, "That thing does cannot fly."

"If it can't fly then you have nothing to worry about, do you?" James snapped back and Lily frowned sincerely.

"James—"

James held out his hand, "Come on Lily, and take my hand! Don't you want to fly?"

"No?"

It wasn't convincing enough so James snatched her hand and yanked her towards him and the broom. Lily muttered under her breath as she slung a leg over and James didn't give her time to think about what she'd just done. James pushed off the ground without second thought, the wind pushing against him as he did so.

Lily shrieked, throwing her arms around his neck as they rose into the night sky. James laughed, letting go of the broom and balancing so he could pull her arms down to around his waist.

"Don't choke the man flying the broom, Love."

She didn't answer. Lily had her head pushed into his neck; he knew her eyes were closed. Her arms were so tightly wound about him that he had to adjust accordingly. Below them, Sirius and Harry were yelling words at them. They were too high up to hear properly.

"Lily."

She moaned into his neck, "What?"

"Open your eyes."

He waited and then he was pleased when an indulgent sigh fell from her lips behind his left ear. It was the horizon that had taken Lily's breath away. The moon had risen high in the sky and shone through the clouds like a light. The cold air blew through their hair and ruffled through their clothes. The trees in the forest behind the quaint Potter cottage rustled in the cool breeze, giving an unreal sense to their magical world.

Lily grip loosened around his waist, "It's beautiful."

He leaned into the broom, "I know."

Lily let go of him with one arm so she could twist and look behind them where the sky seemed to stretch on, black and endless. James turned too and smiled when he saw the look on her face. He'd give away all of his money to keep that look on her face for the rest of her life. The moonlight hit her face, lighting up her features like she was under spotlight. He ached to run his fingers along the sharp curve of her jaw and bring her awe-parted lips to his mercy.

"Why can't I believe this?" she whispered, eyes wide, "Why do I want to think this is just a dream? Is this even real?"

"It's real for us." Her eyes found his, "This is real Lily. As real as your flat in London and your job and everything you think is normal...that's not even _half_ of the world you come from."

Lily swallowed before whispering, "I'm dizzy."

"Of course." James said softly, "We're up pretty high."

James slowly lowered the broom and when their feet touched the ground below Harry came running up with wild eyes, breaking the solemn silence that had fallen between his parents.

"Mummy, Mummy!" Lily smiled as she got off the broom and Harry launched himself into her waiting arms, "That was _so_ cool! Can I go mummy? Can I? _Please_!"

Lily brushed Harry's hair back and said dotingly, "Love, you can, tomorrow."

"Why tomorrow?" Harry grimaced.

"Because it's bedtime." Lily pointed at the dark sky, "I had no idea it was so late."

James glanced at the watch on his wrist and saw that it was past Harry's bedtime, "Your mum is right Harry."

Harry's lower lip pouted out and Lily and James both smiled at their kid as he whined, "Just _one_ ride."

James always the sucker in the parenting gig lowered the broom to Harry's height.

"One ride." He told Harry.

Lily stepped forward; brows tense "James—"

James pushed Lily's hand away when she tried to stop Harry from sliding onto the broom handle in front of James. He sent Lily a look to trust him and he was surprised when she obliged and took a step back. James wrapped one arm tightly around Harry's middle and pushed up onto his toes. Harry's feet kicked out from under him as they lifted three feet from the grass. Harry squealed as James made the broom push forward across the wet grass.

"Go Harry!" Sirius applauded from behind them as Harry erupted in giggles in front of James.

Harry's fingers gripped the broom handle over James' and for a moment everything was right. They were all together in the backyard, practicing flying. There was no memory loss keeping them apart. There was only laughter and moonlight.

James turned to broomstick and they zoomed back over to where Sirius and Lily stood beaming. When the broomstick came to the stop Lily pulled Harry off the broomstick and hugged him closely. Harry threw his arms around his mums neck as she snuggled him thankfully.

"Did you see mum?" Harry asked impatiently, "Did you see me fly?!"

"You did so well, baby." Lily placed a hand on Harry's cheek fondly, "Was that fun?"

"Yes!" Harry breathed, "I want to go again!"

All the adults chuckled as Harry's fingers itched for the broomstick underneath James. James' eyes met Lily's again and he felt his heart lurch when he saw the affection in her eyes. Sirius, who sensed the looked between Lily and James, lifted Harry from his mothers arms. Lily looked at Sirius in wonder as he started walking away with the child.

"I'll put the kid to bed," Sirius shouted over his shoulder, "You two talk."

Lily watched Sirius go with their son, almost like she couldn't bring herself to look back at James. James didn't mind. He could've stared at the way her red hair curved around her shoulders for at least another fifteen minutes without any problem. Suddenly her shoulders rounded and she turned, their eyes meeting again in the dark. Lily shifted from foot to foot as they watched each other.

Finally James spoke, "Did you like it?"

Lily's fingers pointed out beyond the tree line where hills rose into the distance, "I've never seen anything like it."

James sniggered, "You used to go flying all the time." He leaned on the end of the broomstick and winked at her, "We used to go flying all the time."

"I wish I could remember."

"I wish you could too."

Lily's kicked at the grass, "All those pictures on the wall, were we really that happy?"

James' smile spread wider, "Happier."

Lily cleared her throat, "It's just hard to believe."

"Well," James dismounted off the broom and walked slowly over to her, "Believe it Evans. You _can_ be happy, so turn that frown upside down."

When he was inches from her, she lifted her head. Underneath the moon her green eyes seemed to glow. Her head tilted slightly as they stared at each other. He tried to get up the gall to speak to her but she was so beautiful in the moonlight that it had rendered him speechless, like he was fifteen years old again.

"You know Harry and I have to go back, right? Tomorrow morning." She murmured, "I'm expected to be at work."

James moped, "Lily, the wizards working for Umbridge might be waiting for you there."

"Well then we need to go and make sure Melina and Eric aren't being cursed or hexed or— _whatever it is_ by those people." Lily said stubbornly.

"Melina and Eric are probably fine." James said, but not confidently.

Lily raised one of her eyebrows, " _Probably fine_?"

"Yeah,"

"That was convincing." Lily then took another step forward; pushing her finger into his chest, "Promise me that we can at least _check_ on them tomorrow."

James couldn't say no to her, "Fine."

Happy with his reply she took a large step away from him and walked back towards the house. James locked away the broom in the shed and then made his way into the cottage. Sirius passed James on the way to the staircase.

"Did she snog you?" he asked with a devilish grin.

James rolled his eyes and pushed past Sirius to jump up the staircase two stairs at a time.

"Better luck next time Prongs!" Sirius called after him, laughing to himself, the prat.

James stopped dead on the last stair when he saw that Harry's nursery door was open. He could hear Lily and Harry's voices drifting out from inside. He felt like he was taken back in time to when he'd come up these stairs and Lily would be reading Harry a bedtime story.

Harry was talking about his cot, "Sirius made it for me."

Lily's voice was warm, "That was nice of him."

"He magicked it!"

"Impressive." James winced at her curt tone.

"Mummy?"

"Yes, Harry?"

"Do you think I could get a broomstick?"

James' smile couldn't have gotten any bigger as he remembered asking his parents that same question around Harry's age. There was silence from Lily. James walked into the nursery to see Harry resting on a cot where the crib used to be. Harry was covered in blankets but he had them pushed back so he could sit up straight to speak to his mum. Harry's eyes caught James' movement behind Lily and his green eyes lit up more.

"Can I get a broom?" Harry asked James without regards to his mother.

James chuckled as he watched Lily kiss Harry's forehand and quickly mutter tersely, "Harry, no broomsticks until you master the bicycle."

"But I still have to use training wheels!" Harry complained, his fists hitting the cot dreadfully.

Lily was smirking triumphantly, her fight won, as she stood up from the cot, "Goodnight Harry, I love you."

"Goodnight mummy." Harry exhaled, settling into his pillow.

Lily passed James, their shoulders brushing. James couldn't help catching her gaze and winking at her. Lily waited by the frame as James walked over to where Harry was watching his parents interact from the cot.

"Will you help me ride a bike?" Harry beseeched James as James knelt down to the cot level.

"Harry," James said sincerely, "I _cannot_ ride a bike." Harry's face dropped and James leaned in to whisper, "But I can promise you that I will work on your mum and get you your _very own broom_ by eleven."

Harry beamed, "G'night dad."

James froze overtop of Harry's bed and stared at the boy, partially in surprise and partially in awe. James leaned over to kiss Harry's forehead adoringly.

"Goodnight Harry."

James didn't miss the look on Lily's face when he passed by her in the doorway. She was staring at him like she used to do before she was going to corner him, push him against the wall, and have her way with him. James smirked as their shoulders pushed against each other again.

Lily closed the door after turning off the light and then rounded on James in the hallway, her arms crossed. James would've been intimidated by her if it weren't for the small curve to her lips. James leaned against the wall and grinned sheepishly at his wife, spiritedly even. He was taken back to their flirting when they were kids at school.

"What did you tell him?" Lily asked, eyes narrowed.

James shrugged, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Lily hit his arm and he chortled, holding the spot where she hit, "Hey!"

"You told him you'd get him a broomstick didn't you!" she accused, hitting his other arm, "James you git!"

James laughed, throwing his hands up to block her oncoming punches, "I told him by the time he's eleven!"

Lily pulled back, "Eleven?"

James nodded, "He'll be at Hogwarts then and they'll put him a broom weather you like it or not."

"Hogwarts?"

For a moment in their playful antics, James had forgotten he was dealing with a memory swiped Lily. James lowered his arms and took her hand, pulling her down the dark hallway. He walked them down the staircase and into the sitting room. James could hear Sirius ruffling through the fridge for a bottle of butterbeer.

"Sirius, bring us some butterbeer!" he hollered as he tugged Lily to the fireplace and a stack of paper covered books.

James sat them down and Lily crossed her legs as he dug through the pile of books until he found the one he'd been looking for. When he opened it some unhooked photographs fell out. Some of the pictures were old, taken before Hogwarts, but he knew there were some to help spark Lily's imagination. Sirius waltzed into the sitting room with three opened bottles of butterbeer and passed Lily one. Lily stared at the bottle.

"Take a swing before we die Evans." Sirius said as he passed James a bottle, "We aren't going to poison you."

Lily nervously took a swing and then her eyes opened pleasantly, "It's so good!"  
"Wait until you try James' butterbeer ice cream." Sirius told Lily as James lifted a picture from the folds of the book and passed it to Lily.

Sirius glanced over Lily's shoulder as she stared at the photograph with interest, "It's a castle." She said simply.

"Hogwarts." Sirius said, taking a swing of his own drink.

James pulled another picture from the book, one of the hallways and Lily and James wearing Head Boy and Head Girl pins from their seventh year. Lily had her wand tucked in her ponytail and James had his arm slung around her waist. Lily stared at this picture longer.

"We were top students." James told her as she stared, "You exceled in charms and I was rather good at Transfiguration."

"And you both kicked _arse_ in potions." Sirius offered, tipping his drink at Lily's wondering face, "Drove Snape to drink when you'd both get top marks in Advanced Potions."

"Snape?" Lily blinked and James was taken aback by the recognition across her face, "Severus Snape?"

James nodded gradually, "Do you know him?"

"He grew up on my street." Lily blinked weirdly as if she was sorting through the fake memories, "He'd be at the playground my sister and I played at sometimes."

James and Sirius exchanged a look. It stung that of all the people Lily remembered, Severus Snape was the one who got a reprieve. He'd never been their favorite at school. As far as they knew, Snape opened a potions shop in Diagon Alley after Hogwarts. Lily had been friends with the weird potioneer in school but they'd grown apart after Lily started dating James.

"Well," Sirius said softly, "She did know him _before_ she knew magic."

"Yeah," James moodily took a swing of his drink as Lily reached over to grab more photos from the book.

James and Sirius watched as Lily went through photos. Eventually, Sirius fell asleep on the sofa and James relaxed against the walls as he occasionally told Lily about people or things in pictures. She was deeply invested into them and occasionally put aside ones that she really liked. James saw her pause for a long time on one photo and he quirked an eyebrow at her when she looked up at him.

"What?" he couldn't help smiling at her even when he was tired.

Lily turned the photo and his hazel eyes traced the memories with bittersweet recognition. It was like it had all come back to him, the music, the smells, and the feeling of his fingers memorizing the white lace of her wedding dress. The picture was during their first dance. He had his forehead pressed against hers. They only had eyes for each other under the trees casting shadows over their form.

"We were _really_ in love, weren't we?"

James smiled and stood up, offering her his hand. Lily, who didn't seem to mind his hand holding anymore, took it without a probing look. It wasn't until he wrapped one of her hands around his waist and lifted her other hand in the air that she sent him a quizzical stare.

James swayed them lightly and hummed the tune to their wedding song. Lily's eyes stayed hooked on his face as he guided her in small circles around the sitting room. He stopped humming but he could hear every lyric in his mind as he held her so close, like he used to do when they were younger.

As twirled her in front of him, Lily's eyes fell shut. Her hair swept majestically to one shoulder as she wrapped her arms around his neck and he leaned his forehead against hers just like in the photograph she had dropped mid spin. She giggled as he picked her up and spun her teasingly, sliding her feet back to the floor with as much grace as he could. Her hands slid against his face and all he saw was her smile, so bright a perfect and all for him.

And that's when he let go of her.

She seemed startled when he took three giant steps away from her, hurt almost. James swallowed and stared at his shoes, bashfully tugging his fingers through his hair.

"I'm sorry." He whispered, "I got carried away."

Her face was bright red when he looked at it, "Of course." She cleared her throat, "The loo?"

"Down the hall." James offered weakly.

Lily tore away without another word and he watched her go with every bit of longing to go after her.

How could at one point, he be so close, and yet so far?

* * *

 **Ugh this, like I said, was my favorite chapter by far. Domestic Jily raising Harry with Sirius is just my aesthetic. You know?**

 **Until next week my loves,**

 **Petals**


	11. So Close (Part 2)

11.

 _You're in my arms a_ _nd all the world is calm_

 _The music is playing on for only two s_ _o close together_

 _And when I'm with you, I'm s_ _o close to feeling alive_

 _so close to reaching the famous happy end._

Lily ended up falling asleep next to Harry's cot that night. She drifted off while running her fingers along his skin as he snored softly. It brought Lily back to sleeping next to infant Harry. It brought her back to hopping from shelter to shelter, when she was floating from job to job. She could remember the day clearly when her life finally changed for the better…the day Eric offered her a stable and well paying job.

Even if she never cared for him romantically, she owed Eric more than running out on the job. She loved the independence Eric's job offer had given her. She loved spending nights with Harry at home, eating take out by the television. She loved having enough money to get Harry new clothes when he grew out of them. She loved feeling like a competent mother, instead of a failing one.

 _"You can be happy."_

James' words rang into her head like a broken record player. It was hard for her to not think about everything he'd said to her that night. It was hard for her body to forget the way he held her close, like she was all he ever needed. She just kept _thinking_ about James, more specifically the way he looked at her.

And the way she was starting to look at him.

Lily woke to sunlight streaming from the bedroom window and Harry missing from his cot. At some point in the night, someone had placed a scarlet woolen blanket over her shoulders. Lily only needed one guess that it had been James; she knew for a fact Sirius likely would've done something less sweet and more sour just to prank her.

Sirius wanted her to snog James, he'd made that pretty clear. As James' best friend it as only obvious that Sirius wanted what was best for James. What's best for James in Sirius' eyes was Lily getting her 'lost' memories back and making ten more kids for Sirius to spoil. What's best for James in Sirius' eyes is Lily accepting her fate and leaving behind the life she'd built for herself.

Lily didn't know what she wanted for herself but she knew she wanted to make James happy.

He deserved the girl in the photographs.

On one hand, Lily was envious of the woman in the photographs on the walls; on another hand…that woman came with a _lot_ of baggage Lily had never thought to consider.

Not that James was baggage.

Lord only knew that Lily was attracted to his suggestive smiles and warm air, but picking James meant picking the _insane_ idea that she had a life alternate from the one she knew. Picking James meant leaving behind the world she'd built for herself and Harry, a safe world.

It was a world where witches didn't have a personal vendetta against her family; a world where the weirdest things were purple cats and broken nightmares; and a world that didn't turn Lily's brain around like she was on a carousel.

Lily sighed into her arms but her private confusion was interrupted by a very familiar _happy_ giggle. An encouraging cheer that Lily didn't recognize accompanied the laugh and curiosity got the best of her. Lily stood up off the floor but kept the maroon blanket wrapped around her shoulders as cool air drafted around the old cottage. Another laugh dragged her feet forward. Lily's curiosity carried her down the strange hallways filled with photographs of strange memories she couldn't remember.

She glanced around the doorway to the kitchen and paused from entering the room all the way when she saw James. He was carrying Harry in his hip, both of them sporting fresh-out-of-bed hairstyles. Harry and James were bent over the stove and both sharing the grip over a spatula. The pan on the stove was sizzling and she smelled something sweet drifting through the air—like cinnamon and sugar.

Staring at the scene was almost the turning point in her mind.

All she ever wanted was standing in front of her at a stove, covered in baking flour.

"Now mate," James' voice was soothing but firm, "You have to wait for the bubbles in the batter—see! Now it's perfect we can flip it!"

Lily crossed her arms and leaned against the doorway, watching as James slowly showed Harry what to do. Harry reached out the spatula and Lily felt her heart lurch as James helped guide Harry's hand over the pan. They both had quick movements as a pancake was flipped dramatically in the air and Lily was rewarded with her favorite sound on earth: Harry's maniacal laughter. Lily covered her mouth, hiding her own laugh as James applauded Harry's pancake flip.

"Atta boy, son!" James nuzzled his nose into Harry's face as Harry kept snickering, "You did it! Look at the golden beauty!"

"Mummy is going to be so excited." Harry's feet kicked excitedly, "She _hates_ making pancakes but she _loves_ eating them."

"We'll finish making a few more," James told Harry, "And bring them upstairs to her."

"Will she be angry if we wake her up?" Harry asked as they made pancakes.

"Why would she be angry?"

"She's been shouting a lot."

James sounded troubled, "Harry, are you worried because your mother and I have been arguing?"

Lily felt herself swallow thickly. _Of course, how could she have totally forgotten about Harry?_ Harry had been swept up from everything he'd ever known into a strange world just like she had. Lily felt like an awful mother for not even considering Harry's feelings because she'd been too busy trying to sort through her own. Lily's eyes were trapped on Harry's fingers, which draped around James' neck.

"No," Harry told James confidently, "I just wish-" Harry furrowed his little brow and Lily's heart broke for her son, "I want her to be happy."

"She will be." James promised Harry without a pause, "As soon as we get your mother these pancakes she won't be able to resist cracking a smile, mate. Trust me."

Lily knew she couldn't stand by and be an observer anymore, "Good morning boys."

James spun around at the sound of her voice disrupting his bonding time with Harry. James was so caught up in her stare that he didn't notice the pancake was burning on the pan.

"Your pancake is burning." Lily pointedly looked at the pan so she'd stop staring at the expression on his face.

James swallowed thickly as he turned away and flipped the pancake onto a plate with others. Harry cheered and wiggled out of James' grasp, running right to Lily. Lily was warmed by Harry's smile and reached out her arms to hug her little boy happily. She buried her face into his hair and breathed in, wondering how on earth she lived without the boy.

"Harry and I are making pancakes for you."

"I can see that." She stared at James over Harry's mop of black hair.

When he turned to face her again his hazel eyes were asking her if she'd heard what he'd said. Lily licked her lips and let go of Harry. She skirted around the kitchen table to the stove, looking at the pancakes that were ready to eat. Harry climbed into one of the chairs, looking between his parents excitedly. Lily reached around James to grab a pancake fresh off the pan. It was warm to touch and she placed it in her mouth, chewing expertly.

Harry was practically falling out of his seat in excitement "Is it good?"

Lily's mouth was full so she just nodded. James crossed around Lily to grab a clean plate and cover it in two more pancakes. Lily and Harry both watched as James drizzled syrup over the golden bread, eyes very focused on anything but Lily.

Lily's eyes grazed James' cheek, dusted by flour and noticeably clenched. James passed the plate to her and their fingers brushed. Lily turned away quickly to the kitchen table. James set Harry up with a plate and then made himself a coffee with a few tricky swipes of his wand. Harry tried pouring more syrup over his pancakes but Lily stopped him in time.

"Eat your pancakes as they are, Harry." Lily said just as James reached for the syrup and poured more over Harry's plate.

"James."

James lowered his coffee cup to stare at her, "Hm?"

"Do you lack the basic concept of _rules_?"

James bit the corner of his mouth before replying smoothly, "I look to aid to any mischief making in this house."

Lily glared at him, "A sugar high kid is definitely aiding future mischief."

"He won't be our problem anyways" James replied offhandedly.

"How so?" Lily snorted, imaging Harry bouncing off the walls later asking to fly on James' broomstick again.

James replied ever so casually, "Because Sirius is going to watch him."

Lily raised a questioning eyebrow at James, "Why is Sirius watching Harry?"

James' eyes glanced to make sure Harry was invested in his pancakes before answering, "You wanted to go see your friends right?"

"Yes?" Lily hesitantly paused before saying, "You aren't going to keep me here?"

"I can't make you stay." James said, "but I'm not going to let you go anywhere without protection."

"Oh." Lily pushed her plate away and considered James, "And you can protect me?"

"Until you get a wand," James said, "Yes. I can protect you."

"What about Harry?" Lily looked at her boy, "he doesn't have a wand."

"Oh," harry's eyes sparkled, "Can I get a wand dad?"

"Not quite yet, son." James told Harry with a wink and Lily sighed.

"Is Sirius even capable of babysitting a kid?" Lily asked weakly.

"The only other person on this earth that loves Harry more than you or I," James said pointedly, "Is Sirius Black. Nothing will _ever_ happen to Harry as long as he's around."

"If Sirius watches me today," harry said trhough a mouthful of pancake, "Can we try broomsticks again?"

Both Lily and James answered at the exact same time.

"Sure."

"Absolutely _not_."

Lily sent James a glare and he grinned sheepishly, "Leave the parenting to the one who has been doing it the longest, please."

James didn't answer and instead stole one of her abandoned pancakes, stuffing it into his mouth all at once to avoid talking. They managed to get dressed and ready to go in an orderly fashion. James led Lily into their old room and showed her a chest filled with clothes she used to wear. Lily happily picked out a flower printed shirt and red slacks. She avoided the robes in the chest like they were made of thorns. Putting on the robes would mean she'd chosen which life she wanted—and she hadn't chosen.

Not yet.

"Don't you worry." Sirius told Lily as she passed Harry off to him before they left, "Harry will be fine."

"If there's even a scratch on his finger, I will end you." Lily threatened as James pulled her out the front door into the streets.

James apparated them, just like he'd done the night before. This time apparition didn't bother Lily as much and when her work office building appeared across the street from them, Lily didn't feel dizzy. The office was coated in raindrops from the grey dreary day. James kept his hands in his pockets as they walked twords the building, his eyes fluttering in every direction.

"If there's even a hint of magic," James hissed at her as she opened the doors, "We're leaving."

"Fine." Lily hissed back, her heart racing as they climbed into the elevator.

She couldn't help but be worried that James' stories were right and the wtich was waiting for her upstairs. She couldn't help but imagine Eric and Melina bound to chairs, wands pointed at their necks. _How did wizards even torture?_ She wasn't sure but she knew it couldn't be good, because it was magic torture for fucks sake. Anything the imagination could conjure. She slammed her finger on the buttons a little harder.

Instead of finding her friends tied in chairs though, she found them at Melina's desk. Melina was on the phone and Eric was next to her, staring at her face worriedly. Melina looked up from her computer and a look of relief crossed her face. Eric grabbed Melina's phone and put it down as Melina came around the desk.

"Lily!" Melina hugged her, "We were just about to call-"

"I'm so sorry I'm late." Lily said into Melina's curly hair, "I got caught up—"

"Are you alright?" Eric asked as Lily let go of Melina to hug her boss thankfully.

"Fine," Lily lied to Eric before pulling away and gesturing at James behind her, "You both remember James, right?"

James waved at the couple at the desk inelegantly as his hard eyes swooped the office for hidden witches. Eric eyes James oddly and Melina touched Lily's shoulder in worry, clearly sensing Lily's distress.

"What's going on?" Melina asked, "I texted you three times last night and you didn't answer."

"We heard the pizza shop you and Harry go too was bombed." Eric pressed his fingers to his temples, "I was halfway to running to the Hospital to make sure you and Harry weren't—"

"No," Lily chewed on her lower lip, "We uhm, we weren't at the pizza shop. We were with James…"

Lily wondered how the muggles could think bombs had anything to do with leveling the pizza shop. It was all witches and magical duels. It was all a whole other explanation, a whole other world. Lily realized she had no idea what to tell her friends. She couldn't tell them the truth but she didn't want to lie to them either. After the last few years…Eric and Melina were the closest thing to family she'd had since losing James.

"Listen," Lily hurried, "If anyone comes looking for Harry or I—"

Eric cut her off, "Are you in trouble?" he asked apprehensively, "Do you need me to call the police?" Lily didn't miss the way his eyes skirted to James who was holding a protective stance beside Lily.

"Where's Harry." Melina was the one who noticed Harry's absence amongst the adults.

"He's uhm—" Lily struggled to come up with an excuse besides ' _in another world'_.

"Harry's with his Godfather." James said.

"Harry has a godfather?" Eric remarked, knowing full well that up until a day ago, Harry had no family but Lily.

"He does, sort of." Lily muttered, fingers running through her hair much like James, "Listen Eric, I need emergency holiday."

Eric furrowed his brow, "For how long?"

Lily chewed on her lip and confessed, "I don't know."

"Lily if you need help, please let Melina and I help you-not some stranger that you just met." Eric threw a dirty look at James and Lily flinched at the perfectly pointed look James sent Eric.

"Eric." Lily placed a hand on her boss' shoulder, "Trust me, you've already helped me _so_ much."

Melina looked perturbed, "Lily what's going on?"

Lily fretfully wrung her hands together, "Melina, you wouldn't believe me if I told you."

Eric looked like he was about to argue some more but James stuck a hand in front of Eric. Eric stared at James hand awkwardly.

James cleared his throat as he caught up Eric's hand forcefully, "Thanks for giving Lily a job and helping her take care of Harry when I couldn't be there."

"When you couldn't be there?" Eric sputtered, "What?"

Melina narrowed her eyes and then opened them in surprise, "You _are_ Harry's father!"

Lily didn't say no and James just grinned halfway in Lily's direction. Melina shook her head in disbelief, whispering that she'd known it, and leaned against her desk. Eric looked frazzled as he let go of James' hand.

Eric looked between Lily and James before his eyes landed on Lily kindly, "We'll keep your desk open."

Relief flooded Lily chest, "Thank you."

James took her elbow, "Come on, we'll get back to Harry."

Once outside the building and had apparated them home, James considered Lily sympathetically in the empty entryway of the cottage. The only light filtered in from the square window in the door. With her back pressed into the wood, the light fell on James' face, lighting him up like a spotlight. Upstairs they could hear Sirius and Harry playing. Neither of them announced their presence.

James whispered, "You didn't tell them Harry wasn't mine."

"No." she whispered back.

James sniffed, "Thank you."

She lifted her eyes to see his hazel eyes were hazy with water, "Lily I know this is mad and crazy. I know how hard it must be to leave behind a cushy job and flattering boss…but you don't belong in that world."

She wrung her hands and admitted, "It must've been hard—not having your wife. I haven't been very sympathetic."

James looked at her, "You want to know the shittiest part of it all?"

"What?" she asked.

"Every morning I'd wake up in Hell and wonder who was picking you up and taking you home. Every night I'd imagine you loving someone else. Kissing someone else. I just sat there alone, thinking about how you weren't mine anymore."

Alone. The word hit her like a sword in the heart. She stared at James in wonder and he noticed her awe. He gazed at her wonder with a glimmer of something in his eyes, something that seemed like encouragement.

"I was lonely too." She sighed, "I had no job, no family, no friends and no way to support Harry."

"I never wanted to leave you alone." James looked upset, "I wanted to go after you, and the minute I tried Umbridge locked me up."

Lily rubbed her arms, "I know, Sirius told me. You should know it wasn't too bad, not once I got this job."

James adjusted his glasses gracelessly, "I wanted to apologize about that."

Lily furrowed her brow, "About what?"

"Eric." James told her, "I just—get jealous _really_ easily and I knew you had no idea about us Lily but I just don't like to think about you with someone else." James shrugged as he pulled his fingers through his hair, "You don't understand what it was like, finding you again and thinking that you might've moved on with someone else."

"James." The truth slipped from her mouth, "I _couldn't_ move on with anyone else."

James tilted his head at her and she elaborated.

"A part of me just never could imagine falling in love with anyone, and I've always felt like love is just for _stupid_ people."

James tucked his fingers under her chin and her breath caught in her throat, "Well then, call me stupid."

Lily's eyes closed as he gently lowered his lips to hers. Maybe she was stupid too, because even though her brain was screaming that she was better off alone, her fingers were aching to run through his hair. Her lips felt cold when he pulled away from her, only going far enough so that their noses were still touching.

She told him, her fingers twitching, "From the moment we met, I was enchanted by the very thought that someone could love me so much." She allowed her hand to reach up and trace the skin along his jaw, making his hazel eyes pop at her, "And God, for some reason you love me so fucking much it _scares_ me."

"One day you'll love me that much too."

"And what if I don't?" Lily voiced her worries aloud, "What if those memories never come back, James?"

James' hazel eyes are soft; "You don't need old memories to love me now."

He was right.

All the photos on the wall could hold nothing to the man blazing in front of her.

Lily licked her lips as she leaned on her tiptoes, wrapped her fingers into the front of his robes, and pressed her lips to his. It was like James had been waiting for her to make the first move because the minute she tried to pull away from the chaste kiss he dove back in and caught her lower lip with his quick mouth. His hands left his sides and his wand pushed into her cheek as he adjusted her face so he could deepen the kiss.

Lily had always wondered what it was about Harry's father that had dragged her in all those years ago and now she knew. He was as quick with his kisses as he was with his words. His tongue cut into her mouth sharply and boldly, his wand falling to the floor as his hands pushed their way into her red hair.

Lily tried to keep up with his lust filled kisses but she found herself just gasping into each kiss like she was running a marathon and losing air with each passing second. Finally, his lips left hers so that he could nibble and lick his way across her jaw. Lily's fingers were trembling as she pressed them into his scalp and leaned her head back against the door.

"I missed you." He murmured into her skin, "Merlin, Lily, I love you. Is it too soon to say that? I fucking _adore_ you."

Lily chewed on her lip as he continued pressing kisses across every inch of skin he could reach, "I think I love you too."

James chuckled and his lips pressed to her ear, "you _think_ you love me?"

She was going to say yes but then his lips were back on hers methodically and she was lost in the way his long fingers dragged away from her hair and traced down her sides. She tried to focus on kissing him, tried to focus on anything besides his fingers that were reaching until they grasped her arse firmly and tugged her closer to his person. His fingers moved, playing across her skin like she was an instrument. She was thankful he was still kissing her because her breathy moan was caught against his mouth.

She couldn't believe she didn't remember him. She never wanted to forget the way his nose pushed against her skin, nosing her to better angles for his teeth to skim her skin. She couldn't get enough of it, the way he was pushing into her body like he'd never let her go again, her left leg wrapped around his waist and he got the hint, hitching her onto his hips in a way that caused both of them to break apart in a rush only to dive back in heatedly.

Lily felt hot all over as he carried her into the sitting room. The curtains were wide open, allowing any passerby to watch as he pushed her into the sofa in a tangle of eager arms and legs. Her hands stayed tangled in his hair, soft and perfect for pulling when he kissed her particularly coarsely. The new angles also provided James the power to press his entire body into Lily's. Her hips pressed up and into his fervent trembles and she no longer wondered if she really had a kid with him because James knew how to make her yearn for more.

Every touch, push, and murmur was like a dance he'd memorized a long time ago.

Suddenly the door slammed open and Lily and James pulled apart. Lily's eyes opened and she saw that his glasses were askew and he looked as confused as she felt. They'd both forgotten where they were. James sat up and pulled out of Lily's grasp to hide Lily behind him. Lily saw his hans tracing his body for his wand. They both remembered at the same time that he'd dropped it and James cursed but kept his protective stance in front of Lily.

Lily straightened her red hair as a fat man came stumbling into the sitting room with Marlene and Remus on his heels. Remus and Marlene both had their wands pointed at his neck. When the fat man spotted James his face grew even tenser. Lily sat up straight on the sofa, patting her face to try and get the redness down as she accessed the man being kicked into the room.

"What the fuck is going on?" James' voice was notably husky but if Marlene and Remus noticed, they said nothing, "Why is Pettigrew in my fucking _house_?"

"We found him but not the pensive." Remus said furiously as he half-kicked Peter into the corner of the sitting room, "Thought seeing you might scare him enough to talk before the Aurors come."

The man sniffed and eyed Lily, sitting behind James awkwardly, "Lily?"

"Don't you dare speak to her!" James shouted at the man and Lily no longer had to wonder who the man was, "Don't you dare even _look_ at her! You traitor! You're the reason she's—why we can't—stay away from her, you fucking bastar—"

Lily jumped up and placed a soothing hand in James' hand, startling him from his monologue, "James." She whispered, "It's okay. I'm right here."

James blinked back angry tears as he turned to press his lips to her temple.

"How did she get her memories back?" Pettigrew asked in confusion after watching James press his lips to Lily.

James' fingers squeezed into Lily's roughly, "She doesn't have her memories back you git. Why do you think we've been looking for you?"

Peter's frown only increased, "She knows who you are. She's letting you kiss her."

"I don't need old memories to recognize when someone is special. Just like I don't need old memories to recognize a rat when i see one." Lily stood confidently at James side and James looked at Lily like he might like to snog her again, this time in front of everyone.

Sirius came down the stairs, Harry in his arms and wand aloft, "Look what the fucking dog dragged in." Sirius passed off Harry to Lily and Harry dug his face into her chest as all the adults stared at the cowering man on the floor, "Going to enjoy throwing _your_ arse in Azkaban, Pettigrew."

"Sirius." Peter's eyes eyed Sirius' wand with discomfort, "Aren't _you_ the dog in the scenario?"

"Fuck you." Sirius snapped and Lily jumped a bit, surprised at Sirius' harsh tone.

"Listen you little shit." Marlene astounded Lily more when her voice deepened and her wand sparked directly into Pettigrew's neck, "I've got about ten aurors on their way to this house right now to escort your fat arse to a very speedy trial at the wizarding court and if you tell us where to find the pensive you nicked, I'll make sure they put you in a nice cell in Azkaban, maybe one with a view of the graveyard."

"I don't have the blasted thing." Peter blustered, "I dropped it the mo' I knew you lot were looking for it."

"Dropped it where?" James hissed from Lily's side, his hand pressing into Harry's head overtop of Lily's.

Peter pulled a face, "Why would I tell you that?"

"Because you owe it to Lily."

Peter's watery eyes fell on Lily, standing there holding Harry with James at her side.

"Is that Harry?" Peter whistled, "Hey kid."

"Don't talk to him." Lily snapped at the man for the first time, "If anything, you should be begging for his forgiveness since you tore him away from his father."

"Good luck with that." Peter snorted and everyone threatened by stepping forward so that he winced, "Fine, you lot want the memories? Go ahead and die trying to get them. I gave them to Umbridge and she'd rather die than let James win after he helped bring her down."

"Alright, now we know. Umbridge has Lily's memories..." Marlene whipped her wand through the air and Peter fell to the floor, knocked out by some force of magic Lily had not seen, "I'm taking this asshole to the Ministry for a one-way-trip to Azkaban."

"What about the woman?" Lily asked worriedly, rocking Harry in her arms, "What about Umbridge?"

"What about her?" James asked Lily, recognizing her uneasiness.

"If she really wants our family separated for good and she finds out we've found each other again, what's to stop her from trying to make our separation permanent?"

James shushed her and hugged her, so that Harry was in between them, "I'll never let that happen, Love."

"How do we know she won't find us first?" Lily asked, "How do we know she won't try to kill one of us this time?"

"All Umbridge knows is that we were chasing Pettigrew." Marlene said, "She has no idea Lily's been with us this whole time, protected."

"So?" James said.

"So if I bring Lily back to the Ministry with Peter under arrest…" Marlene elaborated, "And the press finds out I've got war hero James Potter's long lost muggleborn wife…who he hasn't seen in years…they'll go crazy and there will have to be a press conference. There will have to be a public meeting for you and Lily. We get you and Lily in the same room and Umbridge won't be able to resist."

"She can't show her face," Remus said, "She's literally been banned from stepping foot on Ministry soil...she'd probably use a disguise."

"Doesn't matter." Marlene waved her hand, "The first person to even raise a wand in Lily's direction will be stunned by fifteen aurors."

"It could work." Sirius whispered to James, "We know Umbridge is a sadistic bitch and would rather have Lily dead than have you get your happily ever after."

James immediately shook his head, "No, we are _not_ using Lily as bait."

Lily took a step forward, "What do I have to do?"

Marlene beamed at Lily and James took her hand, "Lily—"

"James." Lily said hastily, "I want this life. I want _you_."

"You don't need your memories to have me." James pressed his forhead to hers, "I'm yours."

"I know." Lily promised over Harry's head, "But I don't want to be constantly struggling between worlds. I don't want to have to choose. And I know now that I can't have any of this life without all of my memories back, not really. Not like I want."

James swallowed heavily, "Lily, are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yes." Lily kissed James' cheek, "I want us to be a family."

"I thought you said falling in love was for stupid people?"

"Then just call me stupid."

She was rewarded with a flicker of James' signature smile.

* * *

 **Next Time:**

Umbridge turned her attention to Lily, "Let's begin with the girl who started it all, shall we?"

James flourished his wand, "Over my dead body."

Her eyes glowed wickedly, "I'm flexible."

* * *

 _my favorite review for last chapter was totally "lmao I forgot this was an Enchanted AU"_

 _This story is coming to an end soon, I only have two chapters left according to my outline, but just remember I'm always making up more weird AU's you never knew you wanted._

 _Let me know what you thought of this chapter, I love reading your reactions!_

 _All my love,_

 _Petals_


	12. Happily Ever After (Part 1)

**Thank you for waiting, if you'd like to knew more about my delay, visit my tumblr...only one more chapter to go after this...I love you people more than James Loves Lily, if you can believe it.**

* * *

Chapter 12

 _Storybook endings, fairy tales coming true_  
 _Deep down inside we want to believe they still do_  
 _In our secretest heart, it's our favourite part of the story_  
 _Let's just admit we all want to make it too ever after_

He had eyes on Lily the entire way to the Ministry of Magic. Marlene and Remus guided Lily through the telephone booths that led to the offices and mayhem that was wizarding government. James had never had much interest in politics but he had voted the current Minister Kingsley into office after the downfall of Umbridge. Kingsley's face covered posters calling for peace and prosperity of wizard and muggle alike, a stark contrast from the posters that had once encouraged wizarding folk to find unregistered muggleborns.

Peter Pettigrew floated unconsciously above Sirius' head beside James. The man had been reduced to a fat and ugly version of the Peter Pettigrew James had known (and cared about) during school. Peter used to be their friend and James still struggled to come to terms with what made Peter sell out Lily and Harry. Staring at his wife and kid from behind, they were nothing but perfect in James' eyes. Lily had Harry wrapped up in her arms, both of their green eyes staring around them as they left the muggle world once more and entered the magical world. They were both dressed in traveling cloaks even though Lily moved uncomfortably in the added fabric. They looked exactly as James had imagined them to look after all these years.

Harry's eyes were transfixed on the letterheads flying like owls above their heads and lots of witches and wizards stopped to stare at the small parade. Lily looked like Harry, eyes wandering amongst the world of magic, caught up in childlike wonder. Marlene had no time for their dawdling and pulled Lily by the elbow after she was staring at the moving newspapers for too long.

"Alastor will want a full report." Marlene said, "And we have to get Pettigrew upstairs before he wakes up."

The Muggleborn Recovery Panel was based out of offices in the Auror Department. James, Sirius, and Remus all reported to Marlene initially and if Marlene couldn't figure it out she went to her own boss. Marlene's boss was named Alastor Moody. He was a grizzly old man with a quick temper who had survived many attacks by dark magic. He was something of a legend and James had only spoken to him twice in his entire life.

Moody sat in the offices alongside his right hand Aurors. They were going over tips from hotlines and solving crimes by the folder fold. The Auror Department was one of the largest and most complex departments in the Ministry. James still wasn't sure how the entire department worked but he knew that anyone in the department could kill with one swing of their wand. That's why he didn't tease Marlene as nearly as bad as he should, she was lethal.

When the small party of mismatched witches and wizards walked into the Auror offices, every head looked up in wonder. One of the girls at a desk close to Lily looked like all she wanted to do was rush up to Harry and pinch his cheeks. Marlene stopped Lily in front of the grizzly old man wearing an eye patch. James knew him instantly even though they'd only talked twice. The man gazed around at the small group before his single working eye fell on Peters limp form.

"Brought ya some gifts Moody." Marlene said to Moody, as if she were speaking to her uncle at the bar.

"What the Hell is a kid doing in here McKinnon?" One Auror said from a desk down the way, noting Harry in Lily's arms, "This is an office, not a daycare center."

Marlene shot back, "Shove it Bullstrode."

"Wait, is that Peter _Pettigrew_?" Frank Longbottom, a well-known Auror that always wore a dragon skin vest, eyed the lump on the ground at Moody's feet, "Alice, honey, get over here and look at this!"

A woman with a short pixie cut rounded out from behind a doorway, blue eyes wide in shock when they landed on Peter. Bullstrode also recognized Peter and looked flabbergasted at his appearance in their office. James stepped out of the way as two unknown Aurors immediately grabbed Peter's arms and held him down. Peter's head lolled to the side.

"How?" Alice whispered.

Marlene shrugged, "We picked Pettigrew up around the same time that we found _her_."

Everyone finally looked at Lily. James did too, proud to see she stood tall and poised, despite being entirely out of her comfort zone. Alice made her way over to stand in front of Pettigrew with a sharp look on her tiny face. Alice's fingers traced the plane of Peter's face.

"That's Pettigrew alright." Alice announced, "We'll have to put him on trial, Merlin, I've been waiting a long time for this."

"Me too." Marlene grinned at Alice like they were best friends, "I knew you'd be just as thrilled as me to finally have him."

James stepped forward to place a hand on Lily's shoulder, giving her support. Lily turned her head to smile at him before turning her eyes back to the witch examining Pettigrew. James watched Moody scratch his wooden leg as he stared at Lily, awaiting explanation for the woman and child in his office.

"Well?" Moody asked crustily when no one spoke.

Marlene tousled her hair when she realized James and his wife were still standing there with no introduction, "Sir, this is Lily, James and Harry Potter."

Moody perked up, looking between James, Lily and Harry. His grey eyebrows shot into his hairline as he realized exactly why the entire team had stopped by. He might not recognize James freshly shaved and without dingy prison clothes, but he certainly recognized James' name. Frank Longbottom actually stood up from his chair, looking as flabbergasted as Moody that the infamous Potter's had been reunited.

"Umbridge kept them alive?" Alice looked away from Pettigrew, her blue eyes stuck on Lily and Harry in wonder.

"How'd they get their memories back?" Bullstrode asked insensitively.

"Question of the century." Marlene shared a similar smirk with the Potters, "Lily doesn't _have_ her memories."

"What?" Moody objected.

"They were placed in London." Marlene explained dutifully to her coworkers, "James found Lily and Harry when he was checking out a tip off we had about another misplaced muggleborn in her area."

"And their memories weren't restored when you found them?" Moody always got right to the point.

Marlene's shoulder dropped, "Unfortunately, Peter Pettigrew gave Lily's pensieve to Umbridge when he found out we were tracking him."

Alice waved her hand at the two aurors holding Pettigrew, motioning for them to take him away. James and Lily both watched as Pettigrew was dragged out of the offices to a cell where he would await trial. James wished nothing but bad things on his old friend. Lily didn't even blink when he door slammed on Peter's face. Alice turned to face Lily, her fingers on her chin thoughtfully.

"So that means you don't know who you are?" Alice suggested, eyes scanning Lily with interest, "No memories of magic or Hogwarts?"

Lily shook her head.

"How are you not freaking out right now?"

"That happened earlier." Marlene explained, "James brought his wife without her memories intact to Godric's Hollow after an old Ministry Inquisitor tracked Lily down and tried to kill her..."

"An old Umbridge Inquisitor?" Frank's interest peaked, " Who?"

"Malfoy." James told Frank, "He personally guarded my cell once a week at the underground, loves Umbridge more than he loves his own mother."

"Interesting." Frank rubbed his beard and exchanged a look with Alice.

Moody looked unimpressed by all of the information, "Well, why are you lot here at the Ministry then? Go get her memories."

James squeezed Lily's side as Marlene quickly took matters into her own capable hands.

"I want to lure Umbridge into the Ministry." Marlene said.

"You're mad." Moody said to his young Auror, "McKinnon, the woman was exiled for a reason. She cannot step foot inside of this Ministry—in fact—she's got to stay hidden for the rest of her bloody life if she doesn't want to get sent to Azkaban."

"I know that." Marlene pleaded with her boss, "But sir, exile doesn't mean anything if she's still operating through puppets. She can easily put another person she controls in the Minister's chair if we don't finish her off for good."

"Leave the politics to me, McKinnon." Moody growled, "Stick to what you're good at…people."

"She's not quite good at that either." Sirius commented slyly beside James.

Marlene sent Sirius a look before beseeching her boss one last time, "I want this to be over as much as anyone else and the only way it'll be finished is if someone gets Umbridge out of exile and into a cell in Azkaban."

"We don't even know how many of those blasted pensieve's Umbridge has." Moody stomped his peg leg at Marlene, "What's the chance of finding _one_ stolen memory box from eight hundred others?"

"But sir—"

"McKinnon," Moody slighted and Marlene winced, "Ya did good kid. Pettigrew's been wanted for months…but Umbridge won't make an appearance even with bait. She wouldn't dare. If there is anything that woman values—it's her life. She won't throw it away just because Mr. Potter found his wife."

"She's already sent two people after the Potters."

"Then put a security detail on them." Moody replied sourly, "I don't care how you keep them safe, that's your job."

"My job is to reunite muggleborns with their families." Marlene sniffed, "And Lily and Harry's case isn't done until she has her memories back."

Moody's expression softened, "We will get all these muggelborns back to where they belong." He said more softly to his young auror, "I promised you as much when you and Mr. Potter started this program, did I not?"

"Yes but—"

"McKinnon, please take the Potters home. You are due to report back here tomorrow morning for Pettigrew's questioning."

James watched Marlene's shoulders drop as she was given her orders. Marlene turned and ushered her parade from the room. Alice followed behind, blue eyes shining as she shut the door behind the large party. Alice raced forward to block the group from going any farther.

"I can send some aurors to guard your home." She offered kindly, "I'm sorry Marley, but Moody is right, Umbridge won't just appear on some whim."

Marlene told her friend wearily, "Umbirdge knows they're together now…and if she does…she won't stop until one of them mysteriously disappears for good."

"She's probably already been to Godric's Hollow and Lily's London flat." James spoke up earning the attention of both aurors, "They won't think to check Lily's flat more than once…so we're probably safest there."

"You want to go back to London?" Lily eyed James peculiarly.

"I don't care where we are as long as we're together." He said firmly.

James threw an arm around Lily's shoulder to pull her and Harry closer. Harry tugged at Lily's cloak. His green eyes were wide as saucers as he considered his parents.

"I want to go home."

"Oh baby, I know." Lily murmured, kissing Harry's forehead, sending James a look that said she was fine wherever _home_ ended up being.

"If the kid misses his home, we can get him there." Marlene said sullenly in font of them.

"Awh, Marley," Remus grinned and Sirius chuckled, "You're in love with Harry, aren't you?"

"Shove it you." Marley glared at Remus who grinned and high fives Sirius.

"Is it safe?" Lily spoke up, clearly worried.

Marlene smiled kindly at Lily, "I'll sleep there myself if need be."

"Thanks Marlene." Lily sounded relieved as Marlene exchanged addresses with Alice, "You don't have to do all this."

"It's fine Lily," Marlene waved Lily's thanks away, "you and the kid need a good night sleep."

"Before you assemble the troops Marley," James called to their fearless leader who was about to lead them back home, "Mind taking us to the old wand sorting room?"

Marlene tilted her head questioningly at James, "Why would you ever want to go back _there_?"

James knew why Marlene was stunned. From the moment he's stepped foot out of his prison, James hadn't gone back down to the sorting rooms except for once. The dark corner of the Ministry held no decent memories for him and he worked to avoid the cells as much as possible, even when he was helping locate all the stolen wands and memories. James tugged his wife closer, eager to remind himself that he wasn't going there for him…he was going there for _her_.

"I think it's time Lily got her old wand back." He faked a cheery tone and smiled at Lily, "What do you say Mrs. Potter?"

James loved the way Lily's eyes lit up with candid intrigue.

"My wand?" she whispered timidly, "Like magic?"

"Yes." he said, "Magic."

"Come on then," Marlene waved to the Potters, "We'll go there if Sirius and Remus don't mind scouting ahead to make sure Lily's flat is safe."

Sirius looked put out that he was on guard duty with Remus but did as he was told. Marlene led James, Lily, and Harry along the dark Ministry hallways. They took a golden wrought elevator all the way to the lower floors, past the department of mysteries, and into the dungeons. The elevator doors opened up and James actually had to let go of Lily, he was scared he was holding onto her too tight.

The air down in the prison was thick and smelled damp. James swallowed thickly as Lily set Harry down on the floor and looked around when Marlene lit her wand. The magical light bounced off the walls and illuminated the desolate feel of the cells that lined the walls. It was like walking through a dream as he passed the old cells where he was held.

Harry bounded ahead of his parents, following Marlene's wandlight. Lily paused in front of the cell with his last name engraved in the metal and her mouth dropped open. James watched as her fingernails traced the letters before she turned to face him in shock.

"Was this—"

"Yes."

Her eyes flickered fervently. she leaned on her tiptoes to press her lips to his tenderly, her fingers wrapping themselves in the hair at the base of his neck. Closing his eyes and kissing Lily back made James drop away from the pain and suffering f old memories.

Kissing Lily was like coming home.

"Come on lovebirds," Marlene called from ahead, "I'm not babysitting the kid so you two can snog in the dark."

Lily actually laughed when she pulled away from James' lips and he smiled too, feeling the happiest he'd ever felt in the dark chambers below the Ministry. Lily took his hand and they walked the rest of the way together, like a team. James knew he couldn't have lasted much longer in the cells if it weren't for Lily's little reassuring smiles.

They reached a brightly lit room where bookshelves filled with labeled boxes littered every inch of the taupe walls. It would've taken them ages but Marlene had enough common sense to _accio_ Lily's wand from one of the hundreds of boxes with one single swipe of her own wand. They all watched as Lily's wand zoomed towards them from somewhere near the back of the room.

Marlene passed Lily's wand off to her, "there you go Lily, that's your wand."

James watched Lily's fingers pass over the worn wood fondly, as if she truly remembered walking into Ollivander's at eleven and being gifted the spindly stick. Harry walked along one of the rows; his small fingers reaching for a wand and James stopped him before he got into too much trouble.

"Sorry son," James wrapped Harry into a hug with a grimace, "No wand for you until you're eleven."

"But dad." Harry moaned and James snorted over his son's head, "Mum got one."

"Listen to your father." Lily threatened Harry with a shake of her wand.

Harry winced as if his mum actually knew how to use the wand, "Fine," he grumbled before perking up, "But the day I turn eleven-"

"We'll all go to Ollivanders." James promised Harry happily, "And you'll get the best wand they have."

"It's crazy to think how many wands were confiscated." Marlene's voice drew the Potter's from their own thoughts of the future. The short auror was walking along one of the rows of bookshelves, her fingers dragging along the boxes, "I wish there was an easier way of returning them."

"I thought you guys had been reuniting families for a while." Lily said as she took their surroundings.

"Some recoveries take months." Marlene told Lily, "We're lucky if we recover five muggleborns a year…let alone hundreds."

"This Umbridge woman was a piece a work." Lily said.

"Still is." James mumbled ominously, thinking of the woman, "She just has to do her dirty work underground through puppets now."

Eventually the Potters left the wand sorting room. James steered them all through the prison quickly, not wanting to linger. Marlene took it upon herself to take them to Lily's London flat and spend two hours with Sirius outside, placing defensive spells around the property. Lily ordered everyone chinese food after he attempted to cook chicken and failed. James teased her endlessly as they waited for dinner which was delivered a hour after by a timid looking old man in a grey coat. He seemed dazed as he passed over the food to Lily and she gave him his money.

"I placed a befuddlement charm on the place." Marlene hissed to James as the old man stumbled away, "Muggles like him can't handle the magic and just act drunk."

They were all eating dinner together in the sitting room when the doorbell rang and Marlene's alarm charms went off. Knowing that their whole family (and friends) were currently eating Chinese, James shared a nervous look with Marlene.

"Everyone stay here." Marlene ordered.

Everyone listened but wands were still drawn. James slid over so he was blocking Harry from the doorway. Harry peered over his dad's shoulder, an eggroll sticking out of his mouth. They heard voices and James noted Marlene didn't seem too concerned. They all watched as Marlene came around the corner, a slightly dazed muggle at her side.

"Eric." Lily stood up immediately, stowing her wand in the back pocket of her jeans.

"Sorry Lily," Eric had a hand on his forehead, "Came by to make sure you were alright but I seem to have—developed a bad migraine."

James watched as Eric struggled to take a step towards Lily but instead he fell backwards and into Marlene's surprised arms. Marlene dropped her wand in the shock of the full-grown man falling into her. The wand rolled voer to James and he picked it up while Marlene helped right the man.

"Merlin, sir, you ought to sit down." Marlene eyed Lily, "You know him?"

"He's my boss." Lily seemed amused by Eric's drunken state, "He can sit down on the couch."

"He's walking fine Lily," James protested with a little laugh, "Let the bloke go Marlene."

"James." Lily half sighed, pressing her fingers to her temple as she raced forward to help Marlene.

Eric's eyes fluttered to Marlene, who was still holding him steady, "Are you Potter's sister?"

Marlene quirked an eyebrow at Eric, "I bloody hope I'm not related to _that_ lunatic."

"Hey!" but James was grinning madly and Sirius was guffawing loudly with Remus over bowls of chow mien.

"This is Marlene." Lily explained as she and Marlene helped place Eric between Sirius and Remus on the couch, "She's a friend of ours from, erm, James' hometown."

"Marlene." Eric held out a shaking hand to the auror, "Well, any friend of Lily's is a friend of mine."

"Pleasure." Marlene shook Eric's hard, but seemed unsure of him.

"Eric," Lily continued, "What are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to check in," Eric seemd to be stuggling to talk and James wondered how long he could fight Marlene's charms, "Lily you always said Harry's dad was dud—and well James _looks_ just like Harry but—you always seemed so sure you never wanted to talk about Harry's father."

James felt his stomach flip when Lily side eyed James with a smirk, "I appreciate the worry Eric."  
"But he is Harry's dad?" Eric seemed sad.

"He is." Lily said, placing a hand on Eric's shoulder, "I hope that doesn't change anything. I quite like working for you."

"Of course it doesn't." Eric huffed, "I shouldn't be surprised though…"

"You shouldn't?"

"Nah," Eric waved his hand in her face towards James, "Should've known no bloke in their right mind would ever—how no bloke would—Jesus my head _aches_."

"That'll be the confounding charm." Remus spoke up helpfully beside Eric, "A beer will help."

Sirius grinned evilly, "How about a whiskey?"

"You lot are _not_ getting a muggle drunk," Marlene stepped in for Lily and she took Eric's hands in her own, "Come on you lot, he's already gonna wake up with an awful headache in the morning."

"I already have an awful headache." Eric beseeched.

James saw worry cross Lily's face and he sighed, "Don't worry Lily, it'll only feel like a really bad hangover."

" _What the Hell?_ " Eric placed a hand to his forehead and James noted the bloke looked a little peaky.

"Maybe we should get him out of the house," James sighed and earned a thankful look from Lily, "Magic isn't good for muggles."

"I'll be back to work as soon as I can." Lily promised Eric.

"You will?" James asked, surprised, facing his wife.

"Yes." She said firmly, "I will."

James shrugged, "Fine," he rolled his eyes, "Whatever makes you happy I guess."

Lily smiled at James before helping Marlene get Eric standing. Eric was looking paler by the second as the girls walked him back to the front door.

"Maybe he should stay here." Lily said worriedly, "He looks awful."

"Magic does that to muggles." Marlene told Lily, "He'll be fine once he's out of boundary."

"Marley is right Lily." James told Lily from behind.

"I'll walk him out." Marlene offered to Lily, "and make sure no one follows him."

"Thanks Marley." Lily whispered as the auror followed Eric out and back onto the streets of London.

They made their way back to the sitting room and for a while, it seemed like no time had passed. Remus and Sirius fought over who got to teach Harry wizards chess (Remus won). Lily curled up against James on the floor by the fire as the TV flashed pictures and news stories. Remus fell asleep first, head lolling back on the sofa. Sirius fell asleep on the floor next to Harry a little while after. Lily pulled Harry from his godfather's arms and James watched as she rocked her son in her arms before lightly stepping towards the doorway.

"Help me put Harry to bed?" she asked from the doorway and James jumped up from the floor in a second.

Harry's bedroom was adjacent to Lily's. They tucked him under his covers and both kissed his forehead. Lily closed Harry's door once they were certain he was sound asleep before she turned to face James in the hallway. The darkness was contrast to her pale face. James lifted one hand so his fingers could brush across her face. Lily leaned into his touch.

"I keep thinking about those cells at the Ministry." Her voice was barely above a whisper, "I can't believe you spent so long trapped in them because of _me_."

"I'd do anything for you." He murmured back, focusing on the way her eyes changed color in the darkness.

"James," her hand cupped his, keeping his fingers stuck to her cheek, "You went through so much for Harry and I…I just wish…I wish I could remember you."

"I know." He took a step forward and leaned down to press their foreheads together, "I wish you could too."

They stood there for a few moments and then Lily's lips found his in the darkness again. James was no stranger to the way her teeth snatched at his bottom lip as they stumbled down the hall. As fingers grew frenzied, he was not unfamiliar with the way she pressed her body into his. He was not unversed in the meaning behind her yearning whimper as they fell into her bed after thoughtlessly feeling their way into her bedroom.

To Lily however, James was all new and completely foreign.

While he touched her with complete confidence, his fingers digging into her skin in all the right places, Lily's nails skimmed across his chest neatly. Where James pressed his hips into hers with the same impatient drive that she used to have, Lily now slowly trailed behind his eager movements as if enchanted by his every move.

He had every part of her memorized and she was getting to know him all over again.

"Lily—"

"Stay with me?" Lily pleaded, her hands latching back into his hair when he tried to pull back.

James didn't need asking twice and hastily leaned back into her enthralling embrace.

He woke up to red hair splayed across his chest and a dog barking somewhere in the flat. He could also hear Harry giggling and Remus admonishing Sirius. Lily moved slightly. She was currently draped over James like a safety blanket, her fingers twitching against his sides.

James almost felt like he was dreaming, everything was too perfect.

He let his fingers drag across the bare skin on her back in a lazy pattern that eventually made her eyes open and stare in wonderment at him. They both stayed silent, just appreciating each other's company. It wasn't until another bark echoed through the flat that Lily shot up in confusion.

"What the—"

"It's fine." James moaned as she rolled out of bed to throw on her robe, "It's just Sirius—"

"He brought his dog into the flat?" Lily said aghast.

"No." James forced himself to roll out of bed too, pulling on his trousers, "He _is_ a dog."

Lily snorted, "I know he's a pain in the arse James but really—"

"It's true." James rolled his eyes as Lily fixed her hair in a hanging mirror by the door, "Some wizards can turn into animals at will."

Another bark and Lily chewed her bottom lip, "So Sirius can transform into a dog?"

"And I'm a stag." At Lily's blank stare he sighed, "A deer Lily, I can transform into a deer."

"Do all wizards change into animals?" she asked worriedly as James slipped his shirt on.

"No." James said with a wink, "Sirius and I are special."

Lily shook her head in disbelief, "Will Harry be able too?" she looked worried, as if Harry was going to burst through the door with antlers.

James chortled, "You have to _learn_ it Lily, it's not gentic."

" _Oh thank god_." Lily sighed into her hand, "I don't think I could take Harry turning into a deer at whim."

James laughed again and threw an arm around her shoulder, kissing her temple, "Come on, I think everyone else is awake."

"So if you turn into a deer…" Lily was still in shock as they walked down the hallway, "Do you like, get weird traits from deer?"

"Nah," James winked, "I don't eat grass in my free time."

"I'd divorce you if you did." But she was playing; James saw the twinkle in her eye.

Remus was the only one in the kitchen; in front of him were plates piled with various breakfast items. He was, however, only taking sips from a overly large coffee mug. James let go of Lily to fall into a seat beside Remus, yawning.

"Morning Moony." He offered, "Where's the dog?"

"Getting hair all over Lily's sitting room." Remus replied and Lily frowned at the thought, "Harry loves him."

"Show off." James mumbled as another bark echoed through the house, feelings as if he'd like to go in there and have some fun himself.

Lily stared at Remus as she grabbed some tea, "Do you turn into an animal too Remus?"

Remus lowered his cup to glance at James questioningly, "You didn't tell her?"

"Figured you'd want too." James shrugged back.

Remus sighed before considering lightly, "We'll wait for your memories to return."

Lily commented dryly over her cup, "If you're too embarrassed to tell me."

"You're better off in the dark right now." Remus said kindly.

"Wait until that moon comes out though, that'll lighten everything up for ya Lily." James snorted into his own coffee mug just as Sirius (in human form) walked through the door with Harry at his heels.

"Morning!" Sirius wrapped an arm around Lily's shoulders and ruffled her hair, "Hope you don't mind Evans, I babysat the kid while you and James slept off your well-deserved shag."

Lily whacked Sirius and James almost gagged as Sirius looked at Lily in offense, "Oi, Evans!"

"Don't say things like that in front of Harry!"

"Haven't told him about the dragons and the pixies yet?"

Remus explained for Lily, "Sirius means the birds and the bees, he just didn't know the muggle expression."

"He's not even ten." Lily huffed at Sirius, "Harry doesn't need to know anything about birds, bees, or _dragons_ until he's at least thirty."

"Dragons are real?" Harry, thankfully, was clueless to the topic of conversation.

"Sure are mate." Sirius said to Harry, "I fought one once."

"He's lying Harry," Remus said when Harry got excited, "The only dragon Sirius ever faced was his mother."

"She was a beast too." Sirius laughed, falling into a chair beside Remus, "Besides Lily, James met you at eleven."

"What's that got to do with anything?" Lily argued back.

"One look at you and he couldn't keep his dragon _down_."

Remus spit his coffee back into his mug and laughed until tears came from his eyes. Sirius waggled his eyebrows at Lily who immediately flushed and turned to James for help. James saw the disappointment flood her face when she saw that he was grinning smugly behind his cup.

"I hope breakfasts with you aren't a regular thing."

"Me or James?" Sirius grinned sheepishly.

"Both of you, dragons and all."

"Didn't hear you complaining 'bout his dragon last night."

James almost peed himself laughing when Lily unceremoniously threw a pancake in Sirius' direction.

"I hope you come for breakfast _all the time_ Uncle Padfoot." Harry giggled as Sirius tossed the pancake back at Lily.

Breakfast settled down once they'd all had their fill of Remus' prepared breakfast. Lily took Harry back to the bedrooms to get changed while Sirius and Remus argued over who was washing the dishes. James sipped his coffee and wondered out loud where Marlene had gotten too.

"She came back late last night." Sirius told James, "She went to grab a coffee with Alice, and apparently Peter won't give up any information on Umbridge's whereabouts."

"Coward." James hissed.

"Has this witch ever actually killed anyone?" Lily asked, "Sounds like she just locked people up and made their lives miserable."

"There were plenty of strange murders during her reign." Sirius said, "And innocent people were framed for those murders."

"Sounds like she has other people do her dirty work for her." Lily said, "Let's talk to Peter."

"Out of the question." James denied, "He'll just beg and barter."

"Maybe if we send Lily in alone, he'll feel guilty." Sirius offered, "Maybe we can get him to tell us where Umbridge would be hiding."

"No," James snapped, "We are not letting Lily get anywhere close to Umbridge and that's final."

James didn't miss the look between Lily and Sirius.

" _No_." he said more firmly, "We'll find another way to make sure we're safe."

Lily argued, "She's probably waiting for one of us to go to her."

"Out of the question." James disagreed, "The minute one of us steps into her wand path she'll blast our memories for good—or worse—kill us."

James glanced down at Harry, who was happily devouring a second plate of waffles with ample amounts of syrup. James knelt down next to Harry's chair and ruffled the trademark Potter hair with complete adoration.

"What do you want to do today mate?"

Harry looked up at his father with a sticky grin, "fly!"

James chuckled proudly, the apple didn't fall far from the tree with Harry. James glanced back and saw Lily and Sirius were standing close together. They both stared expectantly at him.

"Want to go flying?"

"Absolutely not." Lily said, a slight flush on her cheeks, "We can't just go _flying_ out in broad daylight."

James sighed, she had a point. He looked down at Harry.

"Sorry, Harry." James said, "What else would you like to do today?"

"Why don't you go to the park?" Lily suggested.

Harry perked up at her suggestion, "Yes!" he wiggled in his seat, "Let's go the park, dad! Can we? I know this great climbing tree!"

James couldn't say no to Harry, who looked enthused at the idea of a park date with his dad. Sirius shrugged at James and looked like he wouldn't mind a quick jaunt through the park.

"Alright." James told his son, "Go get dressed and we'll all go to the park."

"I'm not going." Lily said as Harry bounded off and James' face faltered.

She stepped forward and placed two hands on his cheeks, "James, you need to spend some time with your son. I'll be right here when you two get back."

"I don't want to leave you alone." He stated.

She smiled, "I won't be alone." She said, "I have Sirius and Remus."

"I'll make sure she doesn't do anything stupid." Sirius offered.

"I'll make sure they _both_ don't do anything stupid." Remus told James.

"Fine." James mumbled and Lily beamed before kissing his nose and stepping away.

"Perfect." She said, "You two go to the park while Sirius and Remus teach me magic."

"Don't burn the house down." James replied, kissing her cheek before making his way to the front room, "Sirius isn't that good with his wand."

James chuckled when Sirius shouted after James to say that to his face. He wasn't able to reply because Harry had reappeared, dressed and ready to go. James wanted to paint the boy to memory. He wanted to remember the exact way Harry's green eyes shone as he grabbed his father's hand and started leading James out the front door.

"I love you!"

James wanted to paint Lily's face to memory too as she waved goodbye to them from the doorway of the kitchen. The look in her eyes, it was full of love and hope. James almost felt like they were a real family, no cursed memories between them.

James spent three hours at the park helping Harry climb trees and skipping rocks by the waters edge. The boys laughed and splashed water at each other. Harry showed James his favorite climbing tree. James chased a few ducks with Harry (and kept the plucky kid far away from the swans). All in all it was an eventful morning and when James brought Harry back home he was starving.

James dragged harry into the kitchen where he expected to find the rest of his family but instead he found Sirius sitting alone at the counter. Sirius looked guilty as Harry raced to the fridge and James looked around the kitchen for his wife. Remus came into the room with another cup of tea and stopped dead when he realized there was a stare down happening.

"Shite." Remus muttered, a knot forming on his forehead, "I fell asleep."

"Lily told me to help her." Sirius raised his hands in defense.

"Where's Lily?" James asked and when Sirius said nothing James asked in a more strangled panic, "where is she, Sirius?"

"She went to see Peter..." Sirius at least looked guilty, or James might've killed him.

"What." James' hand jumped to his hair and he pulled at the roots worriedly.

The front door opened suddenly and James peered around the doorway half exspecting Lily to appear and laugh at his panic expression…to tell him it was all a joke.

It wasn't.

Alice Longbottom from the Aurors office walked through the door, a grim expression on her face, "We need to go now." She said, "Marlene McKinnon sent for Aurors to Gringotts."

Sirius jumped up from his chair, "What?"

"I don't know," Alice worriedly swept her hair back, "I think she found Umbridge."

Sirius pulled on his leather robes, "What the fuck is Umbridge doing in Gringotts?"

"What the fuck happened to not letting Lily do anything stupid?" James shouted at Sirius as they followed Alice out of the house.

"She's a very persuasive witch when she wants to be!" Sirius shouted back.

"It's fine!" Remus shouted after them, "I'll watch Harry."

James shouted back at Remus, "Don't fall asleep!"

"Don't die!" Remus shouted back, "I'm not raising this bloody kid on my own!"

Alice grabbed both James and Sirius' arm, "I'm apparating us now…I wasn't even supposed to come get you but I figured..."

Lily's front door disappeared and when James opened his eyes again they were standing in front of the white Gringott's building. A few Goblins were standing guard and came right up to Alice who held a figure of authority. James continued glaring at a sheepish Sirius.

"The alarms in the lower vaults have gone off." A goblin with dark eyes told them, "An Auror took another witch down there thirty minutes ago and they haven't come back up."

James didn't even think, he grabbed the goblin by the shoulder and said fiercely, "Take me down there now."

The goblin was either scared by the wand in his neck or caught the tone of desperation in James' voice. Alice nodded at the goblin to tell it that James was alright to breech the crime scene just as other aurors arrived. They were all led to the vault system where trolleys took a plunge into a dark canyon filled with vaults of gold. James couldn't breathe as he jumped into the first trolley. All he could imagine was Lily dead, somewhere in these tunnels.

They went downhill fast, the wind tearing through James' robe as they tried to find the source of the alarms. Finally, after the second turn around, they saw fire shooting out of caverns ahead. The goblin directing James' cart pointed one curled finger.

"That'll be the Lestrange vault."

James swallowed, the Lestrange's were members of the Sacred Twenty Eight…the witches and wizards who brought Umbrdidge to power. Alice seemed annoyed beside James.

"How often do you lot check these vaults Goblin?"

The Goblin drawled, "once every hunded years, of course."

"Blast it all." Alice muttered as the cart came to a screeching halt in front of a cavern.

A cavern where a large black dragon was currently battling a witch throwing stunners as the cart pulled up.

"Bloody Hell." The goblin mumbled, reaching inside the cart and grabbing a bell.

James and Alice watched as the Goblin rang the bell. Suddenly the dragon looked up and spotted the Goblin, almost in a sort of trance from the bell. Marlene noticed the sudden change and looked over her shoulder. She looked relieved as James and Alice stumbled from the cart.

The goblin muttered, "This won't keep it in a trance for long."

"I've fought dragons before." Alice said, "This one should be easy."

James kept his eyes on the dragon as he and Alice made their way over to Marlene who looked burned in quite a few places. She was hobbling on her left leg, looking quite disturbed.

"Where is she?" James cried desperately.

"Lily's inside," Marlene said, "I don't know—"

James didn't waste a second, he vaulted past Marlene and sliding through the doorway seemed to wake the dragon. James nearly missed open flame as the dragon began bursting fire all around. James slammed the door to the vault open and was surprised to find Lily unharmed, standing face to face with the woman who ripped apart their family.

The woman's eyes fluttered behind Lily in surprise at James' entrance, "So much sadness and so much pain." Umbridge twirled her wand, "If I was still Minister I'd have you all receive the dementors kiss...of course no dementors here, but we haven't fed the dragon in a while…" Umbridge turned her attention back to Lily who hadn't noticed James, "Let's begin with the girl who started it all, shall we?"

James brandished his wand, "Over my dead body."

Lily tuned and her eyes were dark as she spotted him racing forward, "James, no!"

Umbridge's eyes glowed, "I'm flexible."

Umbridge pushed her wand and James was blasted back, being pushed back through the door and into the battle with the dragon. The air was hot and James heard Marlene and Alice shouting, trying to draw the dragon away from the vault it was protecting. James' head ached as he looked up and saw Umbridge had her wand high above her head, pointed at James.

"Come along girl," Umbridge called to Lily, "You don't want to miss this ending."

"Leave him alone, you're crazy!"

James was pushed into a wall, the stone behind his back cracking.

"No, spiteful, vindictive, very powerful." Umbridge smiled sweetly as James' body was pulled deeper into the stone, "But never crazy."

Lily sliced her wand in the air and cut at Umbridge's arm, Umbridge's eyes flashed greatly. It was enough of a distraction that James fell to the ground coughing. Umbridge waved her wand, throwing Lily forward and into James' form on the ground. James grabbed her, pushing her off him so that he could stand up and aim his wand at Umbridge's heart—just as Marlene hit the dragon behind them and the dragon's tail side swiped James back to the floor. Umbridge laughed. Lily got up with a grunt and raced forward, trying to wrestle Umbridge's wand from her grasp.

"This is a twist on our story!" Umbridge laughed, "It's the brave little mudblood coming to the rescue!"

Umbridge blasted Lily back and Lily was in direct path of the dragon. Lily rushed to stand, her red hair framing the fear written on her face. Even without the knowledge of magic, she was still fighting for her family.

"Lily, watch out!" Marlene shouted just as the dragon aimed it's tail Lily's way.

Lily was thrown to the floor and Umbridge stepped on Lily's wand as it rolled down the slope, breaking it into pieces. Lily cried out in despair, having only just gotten the wand.

"You don't deserve, magic." Umbidge's eyes shot to James, "none of you do!"

Umbirdge raised James into the air with her wand and he struggled as the magic floated him closer to Umbridge and farther from Lily.

"We're coming to the end of our story now." Umbirdge hissed to James, "Are you at the edge of your seat, Mr. Potter, just _dying_ to know how it ends?"

"James!" Marlene called from somewhere behind them, "Lily!"

Umbridge ignored the fact that they were surrounded by aurors and a dragon was wrecking havoc, "How do you feel about a memory charm, Mr. Potter? You'll never remember her again or the people that you've met. You won't remember anything, you'll be as happy as she was before you came barging back into her life."

"She wasn't happy." James snarled, "You made her think that no one loved her, that no one cared about her."

Umbridge smiled, "It's a cruel world out there Mr. Potter and she was better off. Better off thinking no one could love her. Better off knowing the cruelness that a relationship like yours inflects on magic."

"I love her." He felt Umbridge's wand against his temple, "Nothing you do will change that."

He heard Lily behind him, voice panicked, "Leave him alone!"

Umbridge grimaced at Lily, "I bet he wishes he never met you now, mudblood."

James struggled greatly in his magical bindings, "I'd rather _die_ than forget about her."

"You _might_ want rethink that statement."

James heard Lily scream his name and then suddenly, the world around James went black.


	13. Happily Ever After (Part 2)

**I hope you enjoy the last installment and leave this story feeling a bit more like you can reach your own happily ever after.**

 **All my love,**

 **Petals**

* * *

 _13._

 _Each happy ending's a brand new beginning_

 _So let yourself be enchanted_

 _You just might break through_

 _And find your happily ever after_

"I love you!"

James glanced back to look at Lily as she waved goodbye with a goofy grin. Lily couldn't do anything but smile more as he tugged Harry along hand-in-hand. Harry bounced on James' arm, waving goodbye to Lily with a wider smile than his father. For a second Lily imagined she ought to go with them, a quiet moment with the two most important people in her entire life...

But Lily had more important things on her mind.

Lily bit her lip as the door closed on her boys. Behind Lily, she heard a pot slam into her counter. The ice machine on the fridge rumbled loudly, like it always did. Lily took a deep breath and she turned on her heel only to find Remus and Sirius staring at her with their arms crossed. She knew they knew exactly why she'd ushered her son and husband out of the house. They gave her an immediate order, like they'd had the conversation with her a thousand times before.

"You are staying here and there will be no arguing—"

"Or mischief."

"Or mischief!" Sirius agreed with Remus heartily, "Until James gets back."

"I just want to see Peter." Lily crossed her arms stubbornly.

"No."

"I want my life back!"

Sirius walked forward and placed a hand on her shoulder, "Evans, James would literally murder us, bury us, dig us up, and murder us again if we let you out of our sight."

Lily didn't drop her sober appearance, "Then come with me."

Remus sighed and fell into the chair closest to him, "Merlin, she hasn't changed one bit."

"Please," Lily implored, "Let's go. I can get Pettigrew to talk."

"If he's not talking for professionally trained Aurors, he won't talk to you."

Lily beseeched, "Of course he won't talk to them, he doesn't have an emotional attachment to them like he does me."

"Wait," Remus' head shot up, "Do you remember Peter?"

"Obviously not." Lily sighed with a roll of her eyes, "But he knows me and that's enough, isn't it? I can get him to talk...I've seen Eric do it a thousand times at work..."

"Who's Eric?" Sirius asked.

"My boss." Lily enlightened, "He works divorce cases. In half of them, the divorcees won't even look at each other let alone talk but Eric _gets_ them to talk. _I_ can get Peter to talk."

Sirius clicked his tongue; "James would find it weird to come back to am empty house."

"We can leave now and he'll never know."

Remus muttered, "She's still as persuasive as ever."

Lily brightened up, "So you'll take me?"

"No!" they shouted simultaneously.

"I thought you were supposed to be my best friend." She shot childishly at Sirius.

"Don't pull the best friend card." Remus put his head in his hands like he had a headache; "He's a sucker for it."

"Shove off Remus," Sirius snapped at Remus before glaring at Lily, "You shove off too, Lily. We're all staying here so James can't kill us all."

Lily had to find a way out of the house and her opportunity came in the form of Marlene McKinnon bursting down the front door with a vengeance five minutes later complaining about Peter Pettigrew ruining her life. Her entrance startled Lily at first but as soon as Lily saw who had come bursting through the front door and knew she had someone to help her break away from the bodyguards James had placed. Remus sighed bleakly as Marlene pushed into the kitchen past Lily and Sirius. Marlene landed at the table like a sullen teenager and grabbed the closest thing to her—a mug of tea that she drowned in one gulp.

Sirius sniffed, "Guess I'll make more tea."

"What's wrong Marlene?"

"Pettigrew basically told all of us to go to Hell." Marlene muttered, "Moody wants to do one more interrogation tomorrow but by then Umbridge probably will have moved locations."

"I'd get him to talk." Lily said offhandedly, sneakily.

Sirius shook his head in Lily's direction. Remus was trying to ease Marlene's temper but to no avail.

" _Fucking Agrippa_!" Lily jumped as Marlene's fists slammed the table, "This is _my_ case and I don't know where it's going!"

Sirius muttered something about making chamomile tea. Remus placed his fingers on the bridge of his nose like he was exasperated with all of them.

"I've suddenly come down with a headache," Remus said irritably, "Bring me my tea Sirius, I'll be in the front room."

"Yes dear." Sirius snorted as he filled the kettle for the third time that morning.

Lily disregarded the boys and pulled a chair so she could sit right next to Marlene.

"Get me out of here." She whispered to Marlene who tensed up at Lily's lips by her ear, "Get me to Peter Pettigrew and I can get you Umbridge."

Marlene turned to Lily eyed her keenly, "What?"

"I can talk to him." Lily murmured, "Just get me past the guard dogs."

Marlene looked at Sirius, who was getting milk from the fridge, "You know they won't let you out of their sight without a fight, Lily."

"She's right." Lily and Marlene jumped; Sirius was holding the jug of milk and staring at the girls with a scowl.

"Sirius—" Lily was about to argue again but the flicker of a sad smile fluttered across Sirius' face.

"You know, when we were kids I didn't know what James saw in the frumpy little witch who always told us off when we tried setting off dungbombs...and then you turned Albert Noots hair pink and purple when he made fun of Peter in second year and I decided you were alright...for a ginger." Sirius placed the milk on the counter; "I always appreciated your kindness and how you'd do anything for anyone you cared about—James was always like that too."

Lily placed a hand on her heart, "Sirius?"

Hearing about her old self was almost mesmerizing, especially coming from Sirius. All the photos back at Godric's Hollow painted Lily a picture of what life was like but Sirius' words made it all seem even more real. Her eyes brimmed with tears as Sirius stared at the milk on the counter like he was reliving it through a series of painful flashbacks.

Sirius leaned against the counter, "You were both the coolest couple at Hogwarts. James was the plucky Quidditch player and you were the popular Head Girl. I was lucky to be your friend and even luckier to be best man at your wedding..." Sirius choked on a laugh and Lily's heart broke, "I'd never saw two people more in love in my entire life... James was so nervous he was shaking in his shoes and you were throwing back firewhiskey shots in your white gown before walking down the isle..."

Lily wiped a tear as she choked out a laugh, "I did?"

Sirius nodded, "You were just as nervous as him. You and James are two peas in a pod actually; you'd rip apart the universe for each other. Quite frankly I find your gushy fairytale romance probably the most revolting thing in the world," he smiled even wider, "But it gives me hope."

Lily swallowed, "Why are you telling me all of this?"

Marlene had caught onto Sirius' story beside emotional Lily, "You're going to let me take her."

Lily's eyes widened and she looked back and forth between Marlene and Sirius, "He is?"

Sirius shrugged, "I'll tell James that McKinnon kidnapped you. He can kill her instead of me."

Marlene nodded and grabbed Lily's arm, pushing her up and to the doorway, "Don't question it Evans, let's go!"

"Even a hair missing on her pretty ginger scalp and I'll personally end you, McKinnon."

"You'll have to get ahead of James in line." Marlene told Sirius.

"I won't let him kill either of you."

"Says the one he'll want to kill the _most_."

"I've dealt with him before." Lily waved Sirius' comment away indifferently.

Sirius motioned for the girls to move, "Go kick Pettigrew's arse for me."

Marlene and Lily tiptoed past the sitting room where Remus was snoring in the sofa. Lily grabbed her wand from where it sat untouched inside of the cloak she'd worn on the trip to the Ministry. Lily tucked her wand inside of her pocket before nodding to Marlene that she was ready to go.

Lily felt free to make her own choices and right now she was choosing her own destiny. She would not be the woman Umbridge had created for a curse but she would also not be the Lily they all wanted back. Lily would be exactly who she wanted to be...she'd be both Lily's.

The Ministry was no less intimidating the second time around. Lily tuck close to Marlene's side as they entered the long tunnels underneath the Auror department. Lots of cells were being used and Lily could hear people crying and moaning as they passed by doors. Marlene managed to take Lily about halfway through the cellblock before they ran into another Auror. Lily recognized the short brunette as the woman who helped secure her London home the night before.

"What are you two doing here?" the woman asked, eyes zeroing in on Marlene.

"We're here so Lily can talk to Peter Pettigrew." Marlene said.

The woman frowned greatly, "Marley, Moody won't like that."

"Moody can kiss my arse." Marlene didn't look entirely confident in those words, "Alice, I really think Lily can help us."

The woman, Alice, eyed Lily skeptically, "I'm sure she's very smart," Alice hummed, "But she's not a witch."

"I am a witch." Lily interrupted, earning a look from both Aurors, "Even if I don't remember magic...I've still got magic in my blood...don't I?"

Alice seemed impressed by Lily's pride, "Yes," Alice said softly, "Yes, you're right of course. You've got magic in your blood."

"I'll go talk to Moody if you think I should." Marlene said to Alice, "But we're just wasting time, Alice, you know that. Lily could be the key to this mission."

Alice chewed on her lower lip before she nodded firmly and jutted her thumb behind her; "Go," she told Marlene, "And good luck." She directed at Lily before walking away from the girls.

Marlene and Lily grinned at each other before they continued to walk down the dark cellblock.

"Thank you for helping me." Lily said to Marlene kindly, "I know this probably isn't how you envisioned my case going."

"It's no problem." Marlene touchily ruffled her fringe, "I'm just happy James found you—he was pretty rough around the edges before you came along."

"How did James come to work with you?" Lily asked, sincerely interested in how Marlene fit into James' life.

Marlene inhaled deeply, "Well, I found his name in the records while I was looking into the disappearances—it's a long story—but I knew he could help me reunite families displaced by Umbridge so I broke him out of prison right after the Ministry reform."

"You're the one who got James out of the prison?"

"Yes."

Lily placed a hand on Marlene's shoulder, "Thank you."

"I'm an auror." Marlene said awkwardly, "My job is to protect the wizarding community and shelter those hurt by ill-used magic...people like you."

"What made you become an auror?" Lily inquired.

Marlene huffed, as if she was unsure, "I don't know...I always wanted to help people but when I graduated from Auror Academy was when Umbridge took over. She had her fingers in every inch of the Aurors and I watched my superiors drag people like you away...I vowed to fix the messes they made."

Lily blinked at Marlene in revelation, "I'm sorry."

"Umbridge is the one who's going to be sorry." Marlene said, guiding Lily around a corner, "I'm going to get back all the memories, James isn't the only one who's sick of this shite."

They'd come to a stop in front of a door. It had no window and was made out of solid wood. Lily wondered how the prisoner didn't break out. Lily felt her chest tighten but she couldn't let nerves take over—she had to enter the room as confident as anything. Eric didn't win his cases by being feeble or weak.

"I'll disarm the door." Marlene said with a wave of her wand, "You just have to go in."

Lily took a deep breath and placed her hand on the door.

"I'll be right beside you." Marlene offered kindly before Lily twisted the knob.

Lily nodded stiffly before walking through the door and into the cell. Peter sat curled on a cot, the chill in the air establishing goosebumps on Lily's arm when he saw him. Peter looked up when Lily entered and a look of discontent grew on his white face. He wore grey robes and was wrinkling his nose like he smelled something terrible.

"What are you doing here?" he snapped irritably.

Lily replied darkly, "I'm here because you owe me something."

Peter sniveled, "I don't owe you anything."

She crossed her arms and raised her chin smugly, "tell me where to find Umbridge, Pettigrew."

He sneered, "I thought you didn't need memories to _love_ James."

"I don't." Lily said firmly, "I love him and he loves me back...memories or not...but you took away _more_ than just James."

Peter sniffled and ogled at his dirt filled fingernails. Lily wasn't engaging his attention. She wasn't even remotely catching his interest. She squared her shoulder and took a step forward. She ignored Marlene's hiss and walked right over to Peter's cot.

" _Peter_."

He froze and his eyes dragged up her body and fell onto her face. She knelt down at his side and felt a sharp sting when she saw fear echoed in his watery eyes. He wasn't ignoring Lily, she realized, he was _scared_ of her.

"Why did you do it?"

She hadn't planned on asking him that, she didn't even remember him, there wasn't a point...but now staring at him in the dark Lily wanted nothing more than to know why the anxious man in the cot had wanted to keep her apart from James. She had to know why Peter Pettigrew had rewritten _happily ever after_ by selling her out to Umbridge. She had to know why Peter was so terrified of her and his name on her lips.

"Peter, why did you tell Umbridge where I was hiding?" she implored, "You took me away from James, Sirius, Remus...and _you_. We were _friends_. That's what everyone said. You used to come by and play with Harry as a baby."

"We'd have tea every Thursday while James was at work." Peter muttered darkly, "You'd bake me meat pies and they tasted _awful_."

Lily swallowed, ignoring the jab at her cooking, "Why did you do it, Peter?"

Peter's watery eyes stared at her shoulder, unable to stare into her eyes, "You don't remember anything about me..."

"No shit," Lily mocked and Peter sniggered.

"You know, before you came into our lives it was just James, Sirius, Remus and I." Peter adjusted his legs on the cot, "And then you punched this git for making fun of me in second year."

Lily remembered Sirius talking about that, "Yeah, you're welcome."

Peter snorted, "I wish you hadn't punched him."

Lily furrowed her brow, " _Excuse_ me?"

Peter raised his shoulders; "He came back three days later and shoved me in the loo, teasing me because Lily _fucking_ Evans—a muggleborn—had to come to my rescue."

"Mature," Marlene muttered, "Sell out the Potters because Lily had the decency to stand up for your coward's arse when you were _twelve_."

"I didn't sell out the Potters because they stood up for me when I didn't have any power," Peter snarled at Marlene, "I sold out the Potter's because they didn't stand beside me once I had all the power!"

Lily pushed back her hair and stared at the man in horror, "What?"

"I clawed my way to the top of the fucking Ministry and instead of congratulating me—instead of being proud of me—you all told me to quit! That I shouldn't work for the most powerful woman in the Ministry! That I should fucking feel like shit for working for her. You especially had the nerve to lecture me about it when I'd visit! And I was the one keeping your fucking secret!"

Lily pushed away from the cot, shaking her head. The air seemed to have twisted around her vocal chords, making it hard to throw all the words in her mind in Peter's direction. Luckily, Marlene had Lily's back.

Marlene was livid, "That woman—the one you worked proudly for—she was destroying families!"

"I know what she was doing!" Peter said darkly, "I didn't care!"

"You didn't care that people were being separated?" Lily managed a garbled response.

"I was finally in a position where people feared me!" Peter's eyes glinted, "And all it took was modifying a few memories and relocating muggelborns."

"You son of a bitch." Marlene raised her wand; "My sister in law Melina was one of those people whose lives you modified, we haven't seen her in _years_."

Peter cackled and Lily felt sick to her stomach, "I was the second hand man to the most powerful woman in the world! Wizards quaked in fear when I'd walk by because I could make them disappear with a single flick of my wand!"

That's when it hit Lily like a bullet in the gut; Peter was scared of her because she was a reminder, a reminder that he was (and would always be) a coward. Peter hated being weak and insignificant. He sought to align himself with powerful witches and wizards.

"You might've been on top of the world back then, shouldering off Umbridge's victory." Lily whispered, capturing Peter's gaze, "But look where you are now." She liked her lips, "In a cell. You're just a coward who is shouldering off Umbridge's defeat."

"She's not gone yet."

"She will be." Lily said and he gulped, "whether you help us or not...we'll find Umbridge...and she'll end up in the cell right beside you."

Peter stared at Lily a long time and then finally said, "Listen, I can't tell you where Umbridge is...but the memories you lot want are located in the Lestrange vault at Gringott's."

"Lestrange?" Marlene looked marveled, " _the_ Lestrange vault?"

Peter shrugged, "They helped fund ninety percent of Umbridge' campaign and didn't want the rest of memories getting redistributed when James started tracking them down."

"I'm surprised they didn't want the memories destroyed." Marlene said snappishly, "So there was no chance of bringing muggleborns back."

"The original plans for the project overseen by Umbridge's administration was to use a permanent memory charm." Peter explained with an vile glint in his eyes, "but the first few wizards we tried that on just became mute empty shells because we could select certain memories...so we resorted to the goblets..."

"And the goblets?" Lily asked, "They hold my real memories?"

"If you can get them," Peter implied difficulty, curling up on his cot, "Gringott's is well protected."

"Lily, Gringott's is in Diagon Alley..." Marlene grabbed Lily's hand hungrily, "We can go get your memories...today. Right now."

Marlene tugged on Lily's hand trying to drag her towards the door.

Peter spoke again, "I never thought you were good enough for James."

Lily paused before the door closed and looked at the broken coward on the cot.

"You'd better hope they put you in a cell with a decent view." Lily said coolly, "Because once I'm done with Umbridge, Peter, I'm going to make sure you get served a life sentence."

Peter squeaked as the door shut behind her threat.

Marlene pulled Lily down the hallway, her hair swinging as they raced through the shadowy hallway. Their feet hit the stone floor and made echoes that seemed to vibrate off Lily's chest.

"James is probably already ripping apart all of London." Lily huffed as they ran.

"He can meet us at Gringott's when you have your memories back." Marlene said excitedly.

"What exactly is Gringott's?"

"The wizard bank."

Lily pulled a face, "Wizards have banks?"

Muggles don't?"

Lily giggled as her friend dragged her into an elevator, clicking the lever over and over so that it rose faster. Lily's brain was swirling as she came to terms with the fact that Peter had given up—not the secret of Umbridge's location—but where she could get her memories back. In a way, it was a bigger win.

She couldn't wait for her brain to be flooded by memories that had been lost to her for years. Marlene took them to the streets and apparated in les than fifteen minutes. The air swirled with magic as the girls arrived in a dingy alleyway outside a tavern. Marlene dragged her wands across the bricks in a pattern that made the bricks move aside and create an entryway into a crowded street filled with witches and wizards. Marlene had to drag Lily past interesting shops with magic filled windows. Lily was especially interested in the building with owls and as they passed she caught the eye of a snowy owl with bright eyes.

"Do I have an owl?" Lily asked Marlene, who was dragging her up the high street.

"Hell if I know," Marlene grinned back at Lily, "But you'll know in twenty minutes once we get those memories."

Lily was giddy at the thought. They girls arrived in front of a snowy white building made with marble. Most of the wizards they passed paid no attention to the girls. A group of wizards in bright green robes almost ran into them as they descended the white staircase. Marlene pulled Lily to a pair of doors being guarded by a small man with pointed ears. He was sporting a long hooked nose and beady black eyes that glared out on the world.

Lily wished it wasn't impolite to ask origin...or species...

"Auror force." Marlene flashed her ID at a little man-goblin, "I need access to the Lestrange vault...checking it out."

"You may have a cart." The thing said glumly with a motion inside, "But it will only operate for an hour under jurisdiction."

"An hour is all I need." Marlene grabbed Lily's hand, "Come on, Evans."

Marlene led Lily into the large building and the inside was more beautiful than the outside. Sparkling chandeliers illuminated the ceiling. Owls fluttered past carrying little bags that jingled. The desks filled with papers were made of solid oak. More goblin-men were sitting at the desks, watching as lily and Marlene made their way to the back of the building.

Marlene spoke to another goblin and got them behind the desks and through a solid door. There were carts of different sizes and Marlene picked a smaller one at the front of the line. Another goblin brought them they key they needed, probably for the vault. As Marlene talked to the goblin, Lily eyed where the track of carts disappeared, nothing but darkness as far as the eye could see. Lily pushed her long red hair back and reconsidered whatever they were about to do. Marlene laughed when she saw the look on Lily's face and pushed Lily into the cart.

"No chickening out now, Lily." Marlene said, entering the cart as well and waving her wand at the steering wheel, "We're getting your fucking memories back."

Lily screeched the minute the cart took off and only gained speed as it fell into the caverns. The tracks clicked and Lily gripped the edges of the cart as they descended deep into the labyrinth of Gringotts. The cart swiveled and turned, all the while continuing a downward pattern. Lily wrapped her hair around her wrist, trying to keep pieces from flying into her mouth. Marlene was busy staring at doors flashing past them.

"Are we almost there?" Lily hollered.

"Almost!" Marlene shouted back just as the cart came to a screeching halt.

The track had ended and the girls tumbled out of the cart, wobbling a bit as they recovered from the quick trip. Lily let her hands fall from her hair and turned to get a look around when she stopped dead in her tracks.

"What the fuck is that?"

Marlene looked up from where she was examining rockwork and suddenly Lily was thrown behind the Auror as a dragon rose on its hunches in front of the girls with a growl.

" _That's_ called a Hungarian Hortail."

"Is it friendly?"

"About as friendly as Remus Lupin during a full moon." Marlene hissed back.

"What?" Lily asked perplexedly.

"Oh, never mind." Marlene blew her fringe from her eyes and eyed the animal critically, "if I can hit the dragon in the eye I can stun it—"

Marlene aimed her wand and whistled a long but clear note. The dragon lifted his head and steam poured out of its nostrils. It was like it was sizing the girls up, deciding which one to eat first. Its scales were pure white and it's eyes looked milky through the haze of firelight from torches on the wall.

Marlene raised her wand higher just as another cart came rolling up behind the one they'd just gotten out of. Both girls turned away from the dragon to see a stout woman wearing a pink hat and pink loafers open the door and get out. Beside the woman was a goblin holding a key identical to the one Marlene had given Lily. The woman was dressed professionally and observed both Lily and Marlene with a look of interest, as if they'd walked into her home unannounced.

"I was quite disappointed to hear from my scouts that there were Aurors sticking their noses into places that don't concern them." The woman spoke in a high-pitched voice that made Lily's neck hairs stand on end in warning.

"Umbridge." Marlene drew her wand away from the dragon and pointed it at the woman as Lily came to grips quickly that the pink clad witch was...

"Umbridge?" Lily whispered in misunderstanding.

When Lily had imagined the witch who'd turned her life inside out. When she'd started picturing James' magical story that he weaved around a wicked witch casting curses, Lily had _never_ imagined the woman standing before her. Instead, she'd imagined an old hag wearing rags and carrying a poison apple. She'd imagined something right out of a fairy tale to fit along with the magical world and yet...this woman was a politician wearing a pink coat with perfectly pinned and pressed curls around her toad-like face.

Lily had never imagined someone so... _normal_.

"These vaults belong to the families of the Sacred Twenty Eight." Umbridge held herself tall and didn't even blink twice at Lily before addressing Marlene, "You cannot have access without one of them."

"I have a search warrant." Marlene lied easily.

"Show it." The woman said sharply, without letting the smile fall from her face.

Marlene's face, for the first time since Lily had known her, streaked red, "No."

"You see," Umbridge turned to the Goblin, "Imposters. I'm certain of it. Take the key back immediately."

The goblin shrugged and made his way over to Lily and Marlene. Behind them, the dragon shifted in its chains. Lily was aware that if she took any more steps back the dragon could bite her head off. She considered it was a better option than losing the key to her memories.

"Give me that key, girl."

Lily clutched the key to her chest, "No!"

Finally, Umbridge looked at Lily...actually _looked_. Her eyes twitched as they scanned Lily's face. Umbridge tilted her head at Lily, like she was a puzzle. Lily realized that Umbridge actually had no idea who she was. There had been too many like Lily to make her particularly memorable. Lily was just another number in Umbridge's book.

"Have we met?" Umbridge asked Lily amiably, "I don't remember you at the Auror Academy."

Lily stood up smugly, eyes dark, "I'm not an Auror. My name is Lily Potter."

Darkness shifted over Umbridge's face from recognition of Lily's last name. Umbridge might not know Lily, but Umbridge sure as Hell knew Lily's husband. Umbridge reached for her wand, tucked in her pink jacket. Lily looked back and saw the dragon was pacing, left and right, eyes locked on its prey. If she ran at the right time, she could make it to the door without eating her...there was just a slight probability of it burning her alive.

Lily was currently feeling safer around a dragon...than the woman with a vendetta against her husband. The dragon stood up and took up at least half the chamber. Lily could see the door behind it's left foot.

"You distract that dragon..." Lily told Marlene.

"Wait," Marlene ripped her eyes at Umbridge just as lily started racing towards the dragon, "No! _Lily_!"

"Get that girl!"

Lily ignored Umbridge and Marlene, eyes only for the dragon as its gaze locked in on her. The dragon twisted its neck and probably would've sent a wave of fire in her direction—if Marlene hadn't immediately started shooting spells. Or, at least, Lily assumed it was Marlene. She didn't have the guts to waste time and look back. Lily slid across the rock floor and Marlene shouted obscenities either at Lily for running, or at the dragon for trying to snap at Lily.

Lily grabbed the door handle to the closet vault, prayed, and swung it open just as something hit her in the back and mad her fly forward into a pile of gold. Lily moaned and rolled off the coins sharply pressing into her legs. She wobbled as she stood up, her back aching from the unknown projectile.

"Well," a sickly sweet voice said, " _this_ is a treat."

Lily's eyes lifted from the golden coins and were shocked to see Umbridge had followed her past the dragon. Lily swallowed the bile in her mouth and stood her ground, even thought she was shivering.

Umbridge advanced, "I was imagining it'd be that stubborn idiot husband of yours who would knock down the door first…he had been so persistent...does he know you're here?"

"No."

"What a shame," Umbridge smiled, "I have some of my men after him as we speak."

Umbridge walked over to the wall on the left and touched a dark red stone that had a glimmering top. The colors in the room shimmered from magical silver light that the rock basin contained. In fact, the entire wall beside Umbridge was covered in wooden shelves that held similar stone basins. Lily had a strong feeling she'd found exactly what they'd come looking for. Her fingers ached to break every, single, one.

"Your stupid husband made life particularly difficult after I was voted from the Ministry." Umbridge stared at her as if she were the most insignificant thing on earth, "I knew he was only doing it to get his wife back...I didn't remember you...but now that we stand face to face...you were my favorite trial."

Lily's heart jolted in her chest as somewhere outside the cavern Marlene screamed and the dragon was deafening.

The woman's eyes fluttered behind Lily in wonder, "So much sadness and so much pain." Umbridge twirled her wand, "If I was still Minister I'd have you all receive the dementors kiss...of course no dementors here in Gringott's but we haven't fed the dragon in a while…" Umbridge turned her attention to Lily, "Let's begin with the girl who started it all, shall we?"

Behind Lily, someone said crossly, "Over my dead body."

Umbridge's eyes glowed, "I'm flexible."

Lily tuned and she spotted James racing forward, looking ready to kill. She didn't know how he'd found them or why on earth he was bleeding from the forehead but she was so relieved to see him...until he aimed for Umbridge.

"James, no!"

Umbridge drove her wand into the air and James was blasted back, thrust through the door and back into the battle with the dragon. The pensieves shook in their cases as the dragon roared once more and more screams joined Marlene's. Umbridge had her wand high above her head and pointed at James' chest.

"Come along girl," Umbridge called to Lily, "You don't want to miss this ending."

"Leave him alone, you're crazy!"

"No. Spiteful, vindictive, very powerful." Umbridge smiled sweetly, "But never crazy."

Lily scrambled after Umbridge and James and away from the pensieves on the wall. James was being magically pushed into the wall beside the door to the vault, the stone behind his back cracking. Lily tried to wave her wand but nothing happened...she didn't remember magic.

Frustrated, Lily sliced her wand in the air with a curse and luckily it cut at Umbridge's arm. Umbridge's eyes flashed imposingly at Lily when blood stained through her pink sleeves and James' body fell to the stone floor when Umbridge lost concentration. Lily found herself thrown forward and into James' shaking form on the ground. James clutched Lily, pushing her off his body so he could stand up and aim his wand at Umbridge's heart—just as Marlene hit the dragon behind them and the dragon's tail sideswiped James back to the floor.

Umbridge laughed maniacally.

Lily got up with a grumble and raced forward, trying to wrestle Umbridge's wand from her grasp. She felt heat on her back from either the fire breathing dragon or the magic she'd been hit with. Either way her entire body felt like it was catching on fire. Lily had no idea how to fight with magic without her memories but she still had her fists and that would have to be enough for now

"This is a twist on our story!" Umbridge crowed, "It's the brave little mudblood coming to the rescue!"

Umbridge flung Lily off her and back into the ground. Lily's wand rolled away from her grasp and Umbridge stepped on the wooden handle, breaking it into pieces. Umbridge kicked the pieces away and Lily cried out. She raced across the floor and gathered the shards in her hand. Tears flickered though her eyes as she remembered how excited she was to get her wand from the wand sorting room. She remembered how proud James had looked when she'd brandished it...

Now it was broken before she even had a chance to use it.

"You don't _deserve_ , magic."

"No! _Lily_!"

Umbridge's eyes shot to James, "none of you do!"

Umbridge raised James into the air with a flick of her wand and he struggled as the magic floated him closer to Umbridge and farther from Lily.

"We're coming to the end of our story now." Umbridge hissed, "Are you at the edge of your seat, Mr. Potter, just _dying_ to know how it ends?"

"James!" Marlene called from somewhere behind them, "Lily!"

Lily turned, seeing Marlene was warning them about the dragon, which had finally been subdued and was falling, right for Lily. Lily froze in shock and then suddenly, Sirius jumped in front of her, pushing her out of the way of the dragon and into the closest pillar. Lily had never been more relieved to see Sirius in her entire life. He pressed his forehead to hers and they both smile at each other.

"I told you not a _scratch_ on Lily, McKinnon!" he tore his head away from Lily to shout at Marlene who was running past them after jumping over the dragon's fallen form, "She has _more_ than a scratch!"

"Shut up Black!" Marlene skirted towards the door of the vault, "Get James!"

Lily spun on her heel and saw Umbridge had James struggling in magical binds. Sirius turned his neck when she cried out and cussed as Lily raced forward.

"Leave him alone!"

Umbridge sneered over her shoulder at Lily's approaching form, "I bet he wishes he never met you now, mudblood."

James snarled against his bindings, "I'd rather _die_ than forget about her."

"You _might_ want rethink that statement."

Sirius waved his wand beside Lily, sending spells in Umbridge's direction. Umbridge outstretched her own wand just in time; the spells began ricocheting off her defense and hit James' body...

James dropped to the floor like a marionette whose strings had been cut.

It was like time stood still. It was like her heart stopped beating the minute that Lily thought James was dead. Panic set in. Her world was spinning like she'd just gotten off a super fast carousel. _What was she going to do?_ She'd just found him. They'd just gotten so close to that famous happy end. Lily erratically slid across the floor to be beside James. She clutched at his robes. James was completely still on the stone floor, his eyes closed.

"No, James." She gasped, "No! _Please_ , wake up! Someone help me, please!" Lily cried, her fingers gripping James' robes desperately, " _Help_!"

"Get off him you _pathetic_ girl," Lily felt a kick into her gut and she couched as she was pushed off James' fallen body.

"Haven't you done enough to our family!" Lily screeched up at the woman in pink, "To all of us?!"

"I will never be done trying to rid our world of impure and fickle-minded beings like _you_." Umbridge pressed her pink heel into Lily's cheek, keeping her wand aimed at Sirius and the rest of the advancing aurors appearing over the dragon's lifeless bulk. The aurors were all pointing their wands at Umbridge so that she was surrounded. Umbridge was still determined to have the last word.

They were safe...but James was gone.

"Please don't leave me." Lily begged James; "I can't do this without you."

She leaned over James one last time to press her lips against his hauntingly.

"Oi! Um _bitch_!"

Lily's eyes fluttered open and they all looked up to see Marlene was holding a stone basin in her hands. A few of the Aurors advancing on Umbridge turned their wands on Marlene.

"What are you doing foolish girl?" Umbridge snarled as Marlene walked forward, balancing the basin carefully.

Marlene adjusted the basin in her hands, "You probably don't remember me from half the millions of lives you destroyed," Marlene smirked as she slowly aimed the pensive towards the ground, "But I remember you Umbridge and let me tell you something, you don't deserve to tell people whom or what they should love."

Marlene tilted the basin all the way and Lily watched in awe as the silver flowed through the air. It moved like water, swirling and effortlessly gliding over to Lily on the floor beside James' silent form. The silver liquid wrapped around her skin like a blanket, seeping into her skin. Lily touched her skin, glowing silver, and it felt like water against her fingertips.

And just like water after a storm the memories came flooding back.

Billions of little fragments of beautiful memories that showed her the life she'd forgotten. She remembered receiving her wand at Olivanders from a man with grizzled hair. She recalled being sorted into Gryffindor alongside James and spending many nights curled up by the fireplace wrapped in maroon and gold blankets. She could remember James falling fifty feet from a broomstick and kissing her for hours in the hospital wing afterwards. She could remember their wedding night when his fingers had pressed into her skin and his lips had carried promises that ended in disaster.

She remembered Umbridge sneering as James was dragged from courtroom while Lily's memories were collected.

She can remember everything and she _ached_ with knowledge.

Lily unthinkingly seized James' wand off his hand and struck it in Umbridge's direction.

" _You_ ," Lily twisted wildly, waving her wand before Umbridge could even grasp what was happening.

Umbridge crashed to the floor and her wand was sent flying fifty feet away. Lily pressed James' wand into the air again and Umbridge started sliding across the floor and into the nearest wall.

"That's enough Mrs. Potter."

Someone placed a hand on Lily's wrist, stopping her from sending another hex Umbridge's way. The other Aurors took a break in Lily's attack to apprehend Umbridge. Lily looked up and saw Alice Longbottom smiling dejectedly at Lily.

"Please, let the Aurors handle this."

Disgruntled Lily nodded, but not before waving James' wand discretely one last time at Umbridge. Lily watched as Alice walked over to Umbridge, currently being held up by two burly aurors.

Alice said happily, "Dolores Umbridge you are under arrest for violating your separation terms with the Ministry."

Umbridge opened her mouth to debate Alice's terms but then Umbridge started choking. Lily crossed her arms contentedly, waiting for the inevitable reaction to her schoolgirl era jinx. Umbridge's face was red and she leaned over Alice coughing. The Aurors all looked confused as Umbridge sputtered and coughed until she threw up a toad.

Lily smirked proudly as the toad hopped away and far past the fallen dragon. Another toad soon followed it when Umbridge attempt to argue with her captors again. Lily knew from past results and tests on others who had wronged her—Umbridge would cough up toads for the next forty-eight hours.

Lily leaned back over James and ran her fingers through his dark hair, thankful to see his chest moving, albeit sluggishly. Lily pushed her hair behind one ear and shook her head, half in awe of everything that had just happened. She felt like she had run a marathon for three days straight. All she wanted to do was curl up in her bed at home with a pint of ice cream and James digging into her side.

"Shit, I'm going to need firewh—"

Lily looked up at the sound of that voice and found herself smiling at the boy clad in lather and nursing a cut arm.

"Sirius!"

Lily jumped up and surprised Sirius by throwing her arms around him, kissing him all over his face. Sirius groaned, but his smile was hard to fine as he hugged her back. She remembered Sirius. She remembered him holding her hair back when she had morning sickness and painting her toenails during Saturday teatime. She remembered his love for Harry and his loyalty for James. She remembered that she loved him like a brother.

"I missed you like Hell." She breathed in his scent of cigars and cologne.

"Oh Evans," she remembered he had a hard time _not_ calling her by her maiden surname, "I missed you too."

Lily ran her fingers through her hair and stared at Sirius, "How much trouble am I in for running?"

"James might be forgiving since no one died." Sirius offered with a kind smile as they both looked down at her husband.

Lily shook her head, "Suddenly I'd rather face Umbridge again."

"I only threw stunners at Umbridge." Sirius said, "He should wake up with a bit of prodding."

She leaned over James' fallen form once more and ran her fingers along his stony face. He looked like he was sleeping and Lily saw his fingers were twitching beside his leg. Her knees hit the stone floor as she pressed both her hands to his cheeks, waiting for Sirius' stunner to wear off.

"You're gong to be so mad when you wake up." She whispered to James with a half a laugh, "But Merlin, you've no idea how good it is to see your face. I can't say this to you when you wake up-because you'll spend the next fifty years lording it over my head that I had to play the bloody hero—but I really, _really_ missed your smile James Potter."

James' eyes popped open and his expression calmed when he saw her leaning over him on the ground, "What am I on the ground for?" he grumbled irritably.

"You can't stop falling for me."

James knew those words...he's said them after he'd fallen off his broomstick...right before their first kiss. James sat up slowly, eyeing her wonderingly. She could see the hope written on his face like it had been since the day he'd found her on the rainy London streets. James' hazel eyes sparkled in the torchlight as Lily nodded slightly to confirm what he was thinking but couldn't say.

" _Finally_."

Lily kissed him flat on the lips and when she pulled away, his thumb traced it's familiar patterns across her lower lip. Her heart felt like it was flying and her head felt like it was spinning.

"Oi!" A playful voice interrupted, "I didn't fight a dragon so you two could snog!"

Lily and James broke apart to see Marlene gesturing at them to come into the vault with her. The Potters smiled at each other before getting up, nursing aches along the way. Sirius followed as they walked towards the shelves filled with pensieves. The vault was swarming with Aurors; they were all examining the found pensieves.

"We've got a lot of memories to restore." Marlene said, standing over her treasure find proudly.

"Where do we even start?" James said, staring up at the rows and rows of silver basins.

"They're labeled." Marlene pointed to one on the second to last shelf, "It's how I found Lily's. And I found my sister in laws memories on the far side...there's at least four hundred basins in here."

" _McKinnon_!"

Marlene jumped beside Lily and they all turned to see the head of the Auror Department, Alastor Moody, limping towards them over piles of gold. Marlene actually looked frightened as Moody pointed his wand at her.

"Did you really take on a dragon and let a unrecovered muggleborn fight Umbridge?" Moody growled.

"Er?" Marlene bounced on either foot, looking as if she wanted the floor to swallow her up, "Yes, Sir?"

Moody was silent and then his grizzled face broke into a smile and he clapped a startled Marlene on the back, "Good job, girl."

Marlene practically glowed and stood up straight, looking like she'd just won an award. Alice and her fellow Aurors had returned. Lily watched Alice and Marlene hug before both of them examined the shelves.

"How do we go about doing this?" Alice asked Marlene.

"I just let the memories leak out of Lily's basin and she got them all back." Marlene told Alice.

Lily stared up at the rows and rows of magical basins. She remembered what she'd learned about the basins, about how the memories would always find whom they belonged too.

"Let's do it." Lily spoke up and Alice and Marlene eyed her, "Let's break them all."

"I don't think we should break them—" Moody started but Marlene interrupted her boss and swiped a basin off the shelf.

A few Aurors gasped but everyone else watched as the memories swirled lazily through the air and up through the caverns. Alice and Marlene beamed at each other once the silver had disappeared. Marlene then turned to Lily.

"Want to do the honors, Lily?" Marlene asked cordially.

"It'll be my pleasure." Lily beamed, taking James' wand in her own hand.

"You remember how to use that thing?" James joked and Lily sent him a warning look.

"I could beat you in a duel in my sleep." Lily winked at James and he laughed loud and long, looking more in love with her with each passing second.

With love in her heart and memories of her past in her minds eye, Lily raised James' wand, " _Reducto_!"

All at once, with a big bang, silver swirled around the witches and wizards, wrapping everyone standing by in sheaths of silver. Lily raised her arms, letting the silver looking for it's rightful owner trace across her body. Beside lily, the silver filtered through James' curls and lit up his face like a thousand stars shined just on his skin. There were thousands of memories swirling around them made their way up and out of the cavern, sliding over the walls like silver snakes.

When the last drop of silver had left the cavern Alice whispered, "You know, we're going to have a lot of people showing up at the Ministry for their wands very soon."

"That's fine." James said as he strung an arm around Lily's shoulders, "I'll make sure every single one is returned to its proper owner."

Alice smiled and patted James' shoulder before shouting at two Aurors she'd brought, "Alec! Bring the Lestrange's into the Ministry. I've got a bit of chatting to do about their bizarre vault contents."

Alice stomped away and Lily looked around at her small family, feeling warmed to the core that they'd all made it out alive. She couldn't believe she'd forgotten them, her boys. She loved them so much. While burying her face into James' neck to nuzzle him she suddenly realized something was out of sorts. She pulled away from James and he glanced at her, glum that she hadn't finished her route along his neck.

"Where's Remus?" she looked around for their missing friend, "Harry!"

She turned to face James with broad eyes and James told her, "Remus has Harry."

She sighed in relief, "Oh thank _Merlin_ , he's with the responsible one."

"Well we certainly couldn't bring Harry to battle a dragon." Sirius snorted, "You act like we're incompetent with children, Evans."

"You both almost left Harry at the shop when he was one month old." Lily crossed her arms but couldn't hide her smirk while both men argued insistently who had _actually_ left their baby.

"Come on you lot." Marlene motioned to the small group; "We've got to get above ground so Magical Creature Control can come pick up this poor dragon for rehab."

"It's alive?" Lily questioned and then she noticed the steam coming from the dragon's nostrils that definitely made it appear breathing.

"It's against the law to kill a dragon without a permit." Marlene hitched up her robes as they walked around the dragon form, "That's why it took me so long to get it down, cause I didn't want to kill it."

Lily whispered into James' chest as they were dragged to the nearest cart by Aurors, "What are we supposed to do now?"

"Life goes back to normal I guess."

"Was life ever normal?" Sirius asked as he fell into his seat in the cart.

"No, it wasn't ever normal." Lily agreed with Sirius, "but it was an adventure."

James chuckled into her hair, "Harry has a good story to hear when we get home."

"Not _quite_ the average fairytale." Lily laughed, content with his lips against her ear as they settled into their seats.

James' fingers linked into hers, "I think this is the part where the happily ever after, happens."

"That's my favorite part of the story."


End file.
